I am sure one of the personal benefits I get by writing a daily inspirational piece is the benefit of paying attention. That is not to suggest that folks who don’t do this kind of discipline don’t pay attention. However, I know I pay more attention because of the discipline. Paying attention builds on my assumption that ordinary, daily life provides much content for spiritual experience and reflection. In fact, that links to a functional definition of spiritual that I have: experiencing the Presence in the ongoing present of our lives.
This means there are lessons, challenges and assurances all
over the place. I get ideas in very
predictable arenas, like the daily lectionary I use from the Benedictine
monastic tradition. The lectionary
simply guides me through some daily spiritual readings. It gives me a focus and framework for taking
a bit of time to reflect, to pray and to wait.
I call it “waiting time,” rather than “wasting time.” And then, there are the serendipitous arenas
of inspiration. These can be surprising
and often come from surprisingly odd places.
This inspiration originates in one of those surprises. Last evening I went for a walk. There is a little shopping area near where I
live, so I headed there. My walk was not
at all serious. Probably I should say I
ambled along the sidewalk. I was rather
aimlessly watching people, some birds soaring and anything else that caught my
attention. And then I saw it. I saw a sign on the front glass window of a
store. It was a green sign, painted with
black letters.
The sign seemed like a proclamation. It announced in bold letters: Life is Full of
Unexpected Events!” I added the
exclamation point; the sign did not have it.
At first, I was a little surprised.
That is a pretty bold statement.
In fact, it could be read as a kind of biblical announcement, if not
from Jesus, at least from some important figure. It’s not God speaking, but it does sound a
little like revelation.
I looked and saw the business is a financial investment
business. “Ah,” I thought, “that is a
sneaky form of advertising.” And then I
began to pay more attention and to reflect on the meaning of the sign. It had invaded my present moment and I began
to wonder whether there was any sense of the Presence that I could discern?
Quickly, I became aware that the words on the sign are meant
to create a mindset or perspective for all of us. From the perspective of the business, I think
they want people to be a bit wary---perhaps, even a bit fearful. It should make us untrusting of our world and
situation---you never know when some unexpected event will happen! I almost laughed out loud. The sign is setting us up to expect
unexpected events!
It also occurred to me the sign is suggesting unexpected
events are either negative (bad) or not wanted.
At least, that is how I framed it.
I saw it as a sign to create unwariness and some pessimism. And the business (I think) is there to help
us cope with all those unexpected events that will happen. After all, life is “full” of them. Clearly, this is another assumption.
I am not so stupid as to think no unexpected events
happen. But this is the juncture my
spirituality thinking cap went on to my brain.
Spiritually speaking, I do not think that life is “full” of unexpected
events. Clearly, life has unexpected
events; but life is not “full” of them.
And secondly, I don’t understand that unexpected events are always
negative or something to fear.
Having said that does not mean we can ignore the grinding
poverty that many folks around the globe face. For them, it is already as bad as it can
get. An unexpected event for them is
more likely to be good than bad! Perhaps
the same thing goes with people who are suffering---economically, physically or
emotionally. Again, life is already so
ornery, any new thing would be a good event.
I am not naturally an exuberant, optimistic person. But I am a person of faith. And that faith breeds hope. I can live with the hope that not all
unexpected events are bad. And if the
unexpected event is something I would rather not have happen, it does not mean
that I can’t cope. My spirituality is a
wonderful gift that helps me cope with those unexpected events that come.
I can think of my own cancer diagnosis years ago. That was an unexpected event that I surely
did not want. But my faith, my hope, my
community and my own resilience came as gifts to cope with an unwanted
event. And I grew. And I know some day I will die. It won’t come as an unexpected event---I
fully expect to die. It would be
unexpected to die this day. But even if
I do, I have faith, hope and love.
Comments
Post a Comment