We’re in retreat season. Things can get busy—very full! One of my favorite things about these times is that it is always so clear what it is time for: this, now this, now this, now this… no room to noodle what seems most important. When the end of the day arrives and all that truly needed to happen in the day happened, on our “commute” home (a two-minute walk down a beautiful path), I experience a giant smile on the face and a delicious tiredness in the bones. Just enough energy left to spend a few quiet moments caring for the body, then falling into bed.
The email inbox doesn’t often rise to the top of the list in these times. On days when there is a little space for it, dealing with emails often involves it is often sorting—what needs to be done now and what can wait. During one sort a while back, I had a lovely experience of catching a bamboozle.
Theresa sends a weekly email with photos she and the team in Kantolomba have taken of the Project, along with narrative captions. Those come to me, as well as someone in Sangha who makes sure they become part of the weekly blog on our Africa website. The only “to-do” in it for me is to read and enjoy them.
As I was going through the inbox, the voice suggested I could delete those emails. I had already scanned them, the steward was on top of posting them, and I would have that many fewer emails in my inbox—great. Great? Wait a minute!
Blessedly, there was enough of an expanded awareness to hear the suggestion that we might let them stay, watch for a space to open up when we could sit and enjoy them, and read through each one.
Just before writing this article, the space opened up. That, in itself, is such a fun practice!
After 30 minutes of being with these photos, I was lit up like a Christmas tree! You would think I was hearing about this project for the first time! Look at those faces! Those kids who are eating and laughing and playing! Look at those girls who are going to school—first in the families! Having the courage to go to school among children far more affluent than they and doing great! Look at that well—each day people come from all over to get clean water there! These people are heroes. I love them!
It was SO clear why the conditioned voice would have me delete those emails. How many places in my Life am I talked into “deleting” (overlooking, ignoring, being numb to…) the very thing that will remind me of how precious and miraculous this ALL is? How grateful I am to be learning to notice that process and make another choice!
In case you want to look that one up, it was the May 10 blog.
In Gassho
Jen