Welcome to another Spiritual Journey post. This month is hosted by Carol Varsalona, who challenged us to Pause to Reflect and consider the worth and meaning of Pausing in our lives. Find Carol's entry and links to others in the group HERE> Thank you, Carol!
This is a quiet time for me. I have a month's pause from several of my usual activities, and I have been resting, reading, gardening and visiting family and friends. I'm grateful for this time. Pausing allows me to take in more of the wonder and beauty that the world offers. So often our eyes are blinded by our own thoughts, plans, and expectations. We forget to pause and really take it all in.
The other day my husband went out to start sprinklers on our lawn. When he came in we exchanged a few words and I barely glanced at him. When I looked more carefully, I noticed he had water splotched all over his shirt. I had completely missed it at first and I realized I had not paused to focus. We had a little laugh over his "shower," a bit of fun I would have missed had I not paused.
How often do we pause to look a person in the eye, read their expressions, appreciate their beauty? How often do we pause to allow the world to surprise us?
I was reminded of Snow Geese by Mary Oliver, which seems an excellent example of pausing and reflecting. Here are some quotes from it:
Snow Geese
by Mary Oliver
...
One fall day I heard
above me, and above the sting of the wind, a sound
I did not know, and my look shot upward; it was
a flock of snow geese, winging it
faster than the ones we usually see,
and, being the color of snow, catching the sun
so they were, in part at least, golden. I
held my breath
as we do
sometimes
to stop time
when something wonderful
has touched us
...
The geese
flew on,
I have never seen them again.
Maybe I will, someday, somewhere.
Maybe I won't.
It doesn't matter.
What matters
is that, when I saw them,
I saw them
as through the veil, secretly, joyfully, clearly.
Read the entire poem HERE.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we had the inclination and opportunity to pause and to reflect, to enjoy, to wonder and to be dazzled? How much more renewed and delighted we might be. How much more joyfully and clearly we might see the world. I hope you will be so blessed.
A notice: Between software updates and my old computer, I can't add pictures to my blog today. I'm disappointed and I apologize for the lack of color and interest. I hope to solve this issue!
Funny story about your husband and his "shower". I am often not living in the present moment. Too many thoughts running at the same time. Poems such as Mary Oliver's give us that pause. We read, internalize, reflect, and pause.
ReplyDeleteKaren, thanks for reminding me to look at each person when we talk. Like you, I might miss something humorous or important. It is important to stay in the moment but often I do not because I am in the rush to complete a mental checklist. Being alone makes me think more deeply. I read Mary Oliver's poem twice to soak in the wisdom of a sacred moment.
ReplyDeleteKaren, your story is a prime example of what we miss when we don't pause and focus on what is happening in the moment. Our minds always seem to be in high gear and because of this we miss what is going on right in front of us. Thans for the reminder to pause and live in the moment. Bob
ReplyDeleteKaren, thanks for this lovely reminder to pause, slow down, and be present to the moment. A group of geese flew over me on one of my recent walks. I stopped to revel in their beauty and laugh at their cacophony. They were trumpeting their presence to all around.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the blessings you sent to us in that last paragraph. So many words to love and savor (dazzle is a favorite, I may have to choose it one of these years for my OLW). Happy weekend!
The pause -- to see, to listen, to let the world in -- it's so renewing! Thank you for the reminder to look. I, too, am guilty of not looking up at my husband sometimes when we speak. Here is he, my most important person, and I overlook his white hair, his aging face, his strong jaw, his still-blue eyes. I am renewed!
ReplyDelete