Even though I love the Advent season, sometimes an inner conflict churns its way through me. I begin to look ahead to January.
Sunday afternoon I needed to clear my desk, which in just a couple days had become piled with receipts, bills, extra Christmas cards, envelopes with new addresses from friends who had moved during the year, notes to myself on small pieces of paper, the bulletin from that morning's church service, a list of tasks I need to do in the coming week and more. Always more. It didn't take me long to toss and file and to organize for the week, but then I felt myself attracted to messy drawers, overloaded files, dusty shelves, and other piles only known to me.
I wanted to zoom into January. Organize. Clean. Create new systems. Clear the space. And not just in the garret, but the whole house. What has accumulated that is unnecessary? What no longer fulfills a valid purpose? What needs to move on and out?
All of that is in the future. The near future, true, but not today.
Today we are still in December. Today we are still waiting for Christmas.
Today my challenge is to live, really live in the present.
One of my Advent practices this year is to color an outline of a labyrinth. I actually thought by the time I got to this stage of Advent I would have completed one or two labyrinths. Instead, I am not even halfway to the center of one labyrinth.
I am coloring (walking) slowly. I am attempting to be aware of each stroke (step). I choose the colors carefully, breathe deeply, and pay attention to where I am on the path. I do my best to be present to how I am feeling, how I am moving, how I am being in these Advent days.
This is why I also love fog. It is so much like
life. We really can only see a few steps ahead of
ourselves. All we can do is put one foot in front
of another and pay attention to what is revealed
in the mist before us.
Christine Valters Paintner
An Invitation
How do you attempt to stay in the present moment? What are the fruits of doing that? I would love to know.
Your garret is my third floor annex -- as I enter the room, I turn on my playlist of sacred and Christmas music, light a candle that fills the room with the scent of winter and hope both help to carry me into the blessed space of this room. The sounds and the air replaces the chatter of my mind and I am reminded to first be, be with the present moment, be with who I am and from there do what comes forth.
ReplyDeleteHow fortunate we are to have a space of our own--one that inspires, calms, and creates peace in our hearts and minds. I see you there.
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