ARTISTIC

One thing that amazes me about many artists is their ability to paint stunningly captivating pictures from common everyday moments in life--scenes so mundane and experiences so ordinary that you and I don’t see them for what they really are as we waltz through our day on autopilot. (“Clueless!” applies here.) This is one way I understand what it means to be truly “artistic.”

Take for instance, a couple standing with pitchfork in hand, in front of their farm (American Gothic, Grant Wood); Girl With a Pearl Earring (Johannes Vermeer); The Starry Night, (Van Gogh). Artists make a practice of capturing one of the millions of moments we experience in a day. Then, sharing their perspective and talent, create something incredibly beautiful out of it--something so striking that we, the observer, literally overlook or forget the ordinariness of it. Instead, we are lifted into the realm of the extraordinary.

This says a lot about art, artists, and artistry, but what does this say about life? 

That every moment, every element, and every experience within it has the capacity to speak to us, inspire us, and teach us--in short, to “beautify” us--if we even for a moment, will stop and give it our deeper attention. Artists show us the amazing results that come from training our minds to do just this. They invite each of us to look at our day and do what they do--to capture the beautiful (the remarkable, the valuable, and the teachable) within the banal, to see what life lessons even a few of this day’s moments are waiting and wanting to teach us.

Next time you see an artist, thank them for leading the way on this one. And then remember, it helps, but you don’t have to be an artist to be artistic. 

TODAY.

LET’S GIVE THE WORLD & OURSELVES A GIFT.

LET’S TAKE TIME TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE THINK.

COME AROUND

There is no way out of here, 

no way out of now either, 

no hidden doorway, no secret passage, 

no escape tunnel, no nothing, nada--

even though my mind tries to escape 

all day and half the night. 

But this is a good thing. 

Keeps me grounded. 

Oh, my thoughts and feelings

will make a run for it if I let them, 

and even sometimes when I don’t.

They’ll sink me deep into my dreariest past 

or fly me into my dreamiest future, 

but they always boomerang back to the present. 

There’s a good reason for all this. 

Any place I choose that’s other than right here, 

and any time other than right now 

is purely arbitrary. And I’m the sole arbiter. 

That can't be good.

But here and now hold my place in line,

keep me tethered to the universe. 

They keep me safe from my wayward self, 

make me stay put when I’m tempted to bolt, 

even bring me back home when I get lost. 

It’s like they’re my two best friends, 

only want what’s best for me 

even when I don’t know what that is, 

can't see it or. . . don’t want to see it. 

They’re always telling it like it is, 

always right whether I like it or not. 

Sometimes they’ll play good cop bad cop; 

one will sweetly remind me that what’s next 

can only be grounded in what's now, 

the other will scold me that there’s no way 

to get to there without starting at here.

When it comes to the here and now, 

there are no workarounds, no go arounds. 

Just come arounds.

 

THE ART OF BECOMING

It’s not for the faint of heart. 

Most of the time we don’t “become” (authentically and positively change from the inside out) unless we feel forced to by life circumstances that are so painful we decide it’s time, that we must become something we’ve never been--or at least thought we weren’t. But! We can also choose to do so through conscious decision and commitment to Self-awareness. 

It takes great courage and trust to step off the well worn path of one’s family, clan, tribal and societal identities and to leap into the inner space of one’s larger being, into the unknown of one's infinite Self. It’s foreign and therefore frightening, and though we are all fortunate enough to have  models and possibly even mentors to walk beside us along our own sacred journey’s path, ultimately we can only do this alone. 

But we don't have to make this journey. Many people aren’t aware that such a journey even exists. Most of us choose not to undertake it even though we receive multiple invitations and intuitions to do so. We feel there’s too much at stake. So why do it at all? 

There are as many reasons as there are ways to begin this from-this-moment-forward odyssey but all of them are grounded in moments of deep personal discovery when we learn something pivotal about ourselves--something new and empowering. Subsequently we realize that, now that we know this, we can never go back--but neither can we stay where we are. We simply must go forward. At first we may feel we must enter this journey into our true Self just to survive. Soon however, we realize we want to do so in order to thrive--and we are compelled to do nothing less.

Where do we begin? Doesn’t matter because we will never fully finish or arrive. At least not in the sense we think. (Actually, to begin this journey is to arrive.) We can only step onto this merry-go-round when we sense the slightest of openings, the faintest of leadings. But they most surely come to each of us . . . maybe even constantly.

TODAY.

LET’S GIVE THE WORLD & OURSELVES A GIFT.

LET’S TAKE TIME TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE THINK.

YOU WANT ME?

What’s that, God?  

You want me so say something with my life today?  

Something that compares with the soft pink sweetness 

of this dawn’s early light,  

something that will stand the test of time 

like the live oaks and bristlecone pines and redwoods,

their ancient limbs springing ever upward in your praise?   

You want me to speak the same 

“Be still and know that I am God” message 

sung by the finches breaking fast at my feeder?

You want me to offer strength as serene as an ocean at rest,

as mirthful as a woodland stream after a summer’s storm?

You want me to act with the immutable boldness of mountains, 

with the kaleidoscopic joy of their due encrusted meadows? 

You want me to beam the sun’s light and warmth and life 

everywhere I go in your world today?  

WOO

How do we woo someone? 

We pay close attention to that person--who they are, what’s important to them, what brings them joy, where they hurt and what makes them feel good and loved and cared for. Then we do everything in our power to acknowledge these things about them and respond in ways that will convey how much we love them.  

Yes, wooing is hard work! It takes focus, attentiveness, determination, time, energy, risk, and resources--to say nothing of the vulnerability and abandon required to make it truly genuine. And it may not pay off! Ah, but when it does.

Makes me wonder. 

Where is it coming from? Seems like God/life/the universe/someone or something far beyond or deep within you and me is constantly wooing us. Whoever or whatever we call it, we’re being wooed by a presence that knows us intimately and loves us lavishly right here right now.

Take a moment to revel in the infinite love and beauty that are wooing you as go through this day. There’s probably only one thing that feels better in life than being wooed--and that’s knowing we’re being wooed. 

TODAY. 

LET’S GIVE THE WORLD & OURSELVES A GIFT.

LET’S TAKE TIME TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE THINK.

COOL

CO. Thank you, God, for anointing me 

to be the unique, one-of-a-kind portal, channeler, 

and purveyor of your sagacious love for the world 

that I alone can be today.

No one else will experience it just as I will, 

--because no one else is exactly me, 

No one else will experience you in it just as I will 

--because no one else is exactly me, 

No one else will have the same holy invitations 

to be your loving, living and liberating presence in it 

--because no one else is exactly me. 

I have awakened from a restful night 

to a world that did not sleep well, 

that never sleeps well,

a world restless, rumbling, writhing, 

a world wide-eyed with fear, 

a world on fire with greed and pride and hate, 

a world that seems bent on its own undoing. 

But you, 

like the cool, refreshing waters with which I anoint my face, 

ever so lovingly remind me again this morning 

of who I am, where I am, and why I am.

KEEPERS OF THE PATH

There is a forest path through ancient hammock dunes in Anastasia State Park near our home in St. Augustine, Florida. Some years ago a severe storm came through and took down a few trees and many branches. Because I often walk it early, on the morning after I got there before the park personnel arrived to clear the debris. 

 That day I made an executive decision designating myself as a “keeper of the path," that is, as one who would care for it, keeping the path clear so others could safely enjoy its plethora of natural beauty and wildlife.

 Speaking of others, I nearly always encounter people when I walk this path. Some, walking faster than me, pass me from behind. Others, I overtake. Some come from the opposite direction. Still others have stopped to rest and take in its splendor. I’ve noticed that as I approach or pass them some quickly greet me. Others are deep in conversation or thought and acknowledge my presence with just a quick nod or wave. Still others don’t even make eye contact unless I greet them.

 Sounds a lot like life in general, doesn’t it? 

 What if the path our lives take throughout this day--a day that may be filled with dangerous storms and most certainly with debris (emotional/relational/mental/political/spiritual)--is a path all those around us are also taking in their own way and at their own pace? What if we designate ourselves as its keepers--caring for whatever and whomever we come upon--so that all who follow us can look up and around at this beautiful world instead of their feet and all those who are coming at this life from the opposite direction we are (emotionally/etc...)--will experience its beauty and wonder just as much as we do?

From one keeper to another…

TODAY.

LET’S GIVE THE WORLD & OURSELVES A GIFT.

LET’S TAKE TIME TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE ACT.

 

  

LIVESTREAMING

While everything that happens is happening,

I wonder, sometimes, if someone or something

beyond my own little self-centered cosmos

is seeking to connect with me in “real time,”

wanting me to feel its loving companionship,

wanting me to know that it’s “all in” with me,

inviting me to do the same with it.

I don’t care what name is ascribed to it:

God, the Universe, Allah, Higher Power, Whatever,

because, thankfully, a jar’s label is not its contents.

I do care that this great “Who” or “What”  

seems to be constantly communicating,

continuously streaming a live feed to me,

scandalously offering its intimate presence,

and its moment by moment love-ladden wisdom.

I welcome this silent but savvy dialogue

with the One-from-the-other-side-of-all-things.

At the very least, it wooes me out into the open,

into the open of life and love, of compassion and joy.

At most, it catapults me into the ineffable.

Sometimes, when I step back and think on these things

I come to understand that absolutely every instant,

every interaction, every experience in life

is infinitely meaningful and perhaps even ultimately sacred,

whether I can fathom how that’s possible or not.

If this is true, then my part, my power and my privilege

is to choose from its multitude of meanings,

“Which of these am I going to live by, love by 

and livestream. . . . today?”

LIFE ON THE OTHER SIDE

Near the end of her stirring rendition of Over the Rainbow, the late Eva Cassidy sings the refrain into a new key with such power and passion that every time I hear it I get the chills. “She’s there,” I say to myself, “She’s singing from the other side of the rainbow.”

Life on the other side of the rainbow. Is that something we can only dream and sing songs about? I don’t think so. I believe it’s very possible. And it’s easier than you might think. But how do we get there from here? 

Thankfulness. 

Not just any thankfulness. I mean the before-the-fact, proactive kind that doesn’t wait around for us to feel good before we’re grateful. And I’m not channeling Pollyanna here. It doesn’t whitewash bad things that happen. It doesn’t make them magically disappear. It doesn’t lessen their consequences in the least. 

But it does do some pretty amazing things.

This unconditional thankfulness maintains our inner balance and outer composure. It enables us to cope creatively. Its pay-it-forward approach frees us to be fully present rather than render ourselves victimized--highjacked by our own emotions. And, for a bonus, it frees up our sense of humor!

It’s not snake oil. This stuff really works. Even a little bit goes a long, long ways. Try it right now. Think of a dozen things for which you are grateful. Now stay here. It only takes a moment to begin. By consciously living in a spirit of thankfulness we build a bridge--a rainbow--that takes us all the way to the other side--only to discover that the other side is available to us right here, too. 

"For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you." (Luke 17:20b-21)

PS: While out walking yesterday morning I was reflecting on this  ‘carte blanche thankfulness’ theme when I came upon a woman wearing a tee shirt that said “STAY GRATEFUL!” No kidding. 

“Hmm,” I thought, “You’re good, God. Very, very good.” 

TODAY.

LET’S GIVE THE WORLD & OURSELVES A GIFT.

LET’S THINK ABOUT WHAT WE BELIEVE. . . . AND WHY.

ENTER THE GARDEN

Meditation is like being in the garden of Eden,

here wisdom walks in the cool of my mind,

seeking me out, welcoming me in.

The first lesson this garden teaches me is this:

Infinitely rich and fertile, it lives and thrives within me

It is a garden of beauty, of bliss and of bounty;

all I dream of is here, all within easy reach.

The second lesson this garden teaches me is this:

It is not just in me, it is of me. I am the garden. The garden is me.

So, everpresent, it isn’t just in this moment, it is this moment, 

this day, this life, this world, this universe.

The third lesson this garden teaches me is this:

If I believe this garden exists, it exists.

But if I do not believe it exists then, for me, 

it does not exist. It will not. It cannot.

The fourth lesson this garden teaches me is this:

None of us perceives or experiences this garden all the time,

yet we are all welcome to visit at any time we desire. 

It is everywhere, in everything, if we have but eyes to see it.

The fifth lesson this garden teaches me is this:

All things in one’s physical life point to this garden

for the one who believes. But if I do not believe then, sadly, 

all things point only to themselves.

The sixth lesson this garden teaches me is this:

The whole universe is but a single sweet berry or glistening blossom here,

ripe and rife with energies light and dark to please the senses, 

to tease the imagination, to engage the spirit.

The seventh lesson this garden teaches me is this:

Here, as in Eden, what I ask for I will get,

whether it is good for me or not.