Spunky Spirit

I saw a friend of mine yesterday and I could tell even before she said anything that she was in a good place.  Often it is not difficult to tell when someone is feeling very well or, the opposite, very poorly.  Usually our emotions are “speaking,” even if we don’t use words.

So she clearly was having a good day.  There was the inevitable smile.  There was a bounce in her step.  She leaned into the greeting.  Bad days often make us reticent in the greeting.  How we say, “hello” matters a great deal.  Her “hello” was engaging, invigorating, and empowering.  (I like those three words!  Who could imagine a simple “hello” doing such wondrous things!)?

We talked a little.  She had had a good day…maybe a couple days that were very nice.  It is good when life turns out well.  The sun shines.  The breeze caresses.  Even when little troubles come our way, there is no big deal.  I love good days…who wouldn’t?

After our encounter, I had a chance to reflect a little on the experience.  I learned a long time ago, one of the keys to my spiritual journey is taking the time to reflect.  If we do not reflect, then we are passive participants in the oncoming waves of our experience.  Like the ocean waves, they come and, then, they fade away on the shores of our present.  The wave becomes nothing on the sand of the present moment.  More waves will come.  But we never notice, we never reflect, we never learn.  It is just wave after wave after wave.  So is our experience.

So, I took time to reflect.  I had just experienced a wave.  My friend had rolled into my shore from the ocean of possible experiences.  I saw her coming.  Immediately, I knew she was having a good day.  That is like knowing it is a big wave.  It shows.  But unlike a wave, she could talk.  

Her voice was vibrant.  It was energetic.  In a very pleasant way it was commanding.  As we talked, I began to listen to her language and I also gave my own language to the encounter.  This makes it sound like a big deal, but in reality it was no big deal.  It was nothing more than a casual meeting of friends who said “hello” and appreciated the moment.  As with waves, the moment flattened out on the shores of our present time.  

But I reflected, even after there was no more “present moment” of encounter.  I concluded that she is a spunky spirit.  I know I just said, “she is a spunky spirit,” instead of saying “she has a spunky spirit.”  I really do think we are spirits more than we have spirits.  If we have spirits, we are possessors.  In fact, it is more likely that spirits possess us.  But we might well have a choice.  As we become practiced in the spiritual journey, we can probably choose bad spirits less often.

To have a spunky spirit is to have a spark.  If we have a spunky spirit, we sparkle!  There is a radiating sparkle that is attractive and attentive.  Spunky, sparkly people are connected to the Spirit in such a way that they are energized by life.  There is an exuberance that always suggests plenty, instead of poverty.  Life is full, not empty.  Life is a joy, not a drag.

“Sign me up,” I want to say.  Sign me up for s spunky spirit!  It is not a sign-up.  “Spunky” is the adjective.  The real word is “Spirit.”  It is always available.  We “sign up” by being open, vulnerable, and accepting of the Spirit that always wants to inhabit our space.

Yep, I am going to make space for the Spirit that can make me spunky.  I will be open; I will be vulnerable; I will accept it.  I can do it.  You can do it.

And I thank my spunky, spirited teacher!