Revealing the Concealed

Small things that have been enjoyable to me lately…coffee with my Israeli neighbor and the cultural/global discussions we engage in, the plants on my porch that bloom year round, the over-abundance of sun that makes things grow quickly (like the vine on our fence that was completely chopped down less than eight months ago and is now covering the entire fence again), the new art supply store that’s opening around the corner, hearing my neighbors’ children play, watching other people set a goal and achieve it, making desserts (like cobbler and shortcake) with all the fresh fruit that is in season, the breeze and sound of birds chirping that comes through the screen door, laughing at corny jokes, connecting to other people’s humanity.

Tension can be a gift, but I am only just now realizing this more fully. I was thinking the other day about times I’ve felt the tension of unresolved situations. This tension can can take many forms: a circumstance that is less than ideal, a pain or longing that has not yet been remedied, a sense of something missing, an internal emotional or mental battle, or anything that feels unfinished or not at peace in our lives. But I realized in a deeper way that these realities of life, and the tension they produce, are allowed so that they can accomplish something in us. We may realize this on an intellectual level, but it is still hardwired within our human nature to resist tension and pain of any kind.

Yet, the freeing option raises its head and suggests that instead of resisting, I can also grow more fully in my ability to surrender to the discomfort and let it do its work in me. This helps tremendously to accept what is not yet righted in our lives. We can still hold onto the hope that one day it will be righted, but we don’t need to despair or discount the in between time. I don’t know about you, but this helps me to relax and let go a little more. Instead of putting an inordinate amount of hope in the resolution, I am able to dwell a little more peacefully in the in between.

I really love to write. It does something for me internally. It is surprisingly life-giving. Today, I feel the need to write, but haven’t had anything specific in mind to share for a while. So I thought I’d summarize some of my experience paragliding the other week. It turned out to be a bit of a spiritual experience, although I did not anticipate this at all. But, I believe God speaks through all things in life. It’s just a matter of learning to tune in to a higher whisper, a stirring in your spirit, a “knowing” that we all have experienced in some form or another.

If you believe there is some kind of higher power orchestrating the universe, than it also makes sense to look for ways this power is helping to guide day-to-day life. This guidance we tend to search for so diligently is usually right there for the taking. It’s usually not that hard to find, once you’ve identified that in comes in the form of life and freedom. I felt like the paragliding experience was representative of this guiding whisper. I was launched into the air with a parachute overhead and a flight instructor sitting right behind me. It all happened very effortlessly. The wind carried us upwards. As I held onto the cords that controlled the parachute, my instructor spoke occasional words of instruction to help guide us along (a little to the right, turn here, a little more left, etc.). Except for turning around, the steering required only the slightest hand movements. The sail was quite sensitive to any motion.

There was an ease to the soaring because it was not powered by me, it was powered by the wind. And, it allowed for a bird’s-eye view of my surroundings. This is not a view we have from the ground. Vision is much more limited there. When I looked through the photos my husband had taken, I was like, wait a minute, these don’t reflect the experience at all! In the sky, you can see what’s next, what’s around the corner, across a field, or past a turn in the road. It is very clear which way to go. So, trusting that this broader view exists, even when you cannot see it, allows you to follow a guiding whisper more easily. Limited vision does not need to stand in the way of trust.

I am so grateful for teachers in life. Whether it be an author or speaker, book or blog, I love learning from those who are farther along than I am. I like being challenged. It’s a good mental workout, but also refreshes my emotional and spiritual world as well. Pondering new things deeply, or seeing old things in a fresh light is like eating a really good meal and feeling satisfied and full afterwards.

Life is about learning to love. Nothing more, nothing less. I really feel that this is the greatest challenge we will ever face. Learning to truly love is no easy task. It requires a denial of self that frequently leads us out of our comfort zone, a humility that holds others, no matter how different, in high regard, and a willingness to surrender our egos and our own agendas time and time again. But to truly offer and also receive love is a priceless gift. All of the cost does not come without reward. Love is of great value – it has the ability to heal others, ourselves, and to heal the world. There is no wound love cannot address, no divide it cannot cross, no rift it cannot mend. That is powerful. No wonder learning its ways is so difficult and penetrates our core so deeply.

Getting outside of my own head once in a while is good. Because I work at home (as does my husband), it is good for both of us to leave the house periodically and jumpstart our brains. Frequent walks help with this. Since we live in a walkable neighborhood, one of our favorite activities is to stroll down to one of the many cafes on Main Street and sip coffee and watch people. People watching around here is really interesting. You see all types – creative artists, movie industry execs, tech people, hippies, homeless folks, families, etc. I love to see a variety of people meandering past a cafe window, some riding bikes, some carrying their yoga mats, some walking dogs. A diverse pool of humanity makes life interesting. I think it would be tough for me to live somewhere where everyone more or less looked the same and lived the same kind of lifestyle. Diversity in people, whether it be occupation, lifestyle, race or culture makes life interesting and opens up your mind to new possibilities.

There are those who critique and there are those who do. I was reminded of this again the other day, as I reflected on the thought that you can understand people much more thoroughly by observing their actions than by merely listening to their words. Anyone, really, can theorize and sound intelligent and say things that sound very convincing. Likewise, anyone can also offer critiques on why a certain event or another person or a subject matter is lacking or deficient in some manner (just think Steven Colbert or Jon Stewart). I think it is this kind of talk that tires me the most. I am much more impressed when someone takes stock of his or her own life and takes specific actions that lead towards growth. Time spent critiquing the rest of the world is really a complete waste – it produces nothing fruitful.

A much better way to truly understand others is to tune out their words for a bit and watch what they do (or fail to do). Actions are a much better measuring stick for gauging who someone really is.