Motivated
But I've reason to believe
We both will be received
In Graceland.
Paul Simon
To pray is to take notice of the wonder,
to regain a sense of the mystery that
animates all beings, the divine margin in all
attainments. Prayer is our humble answer to
the inconceivable surprise of living.
Rabbi Abraham Heschel
A teller overhears and says, "You sell CDs? I didn't know you sang."
"I don't," I tell her, "it frightens young children."
"Then what's on you CDs?" she asks.
"They are talks," I say, "or seminars."
"What kind of material?"
"Motivational," I answer.
"Oh," she sounds surprised. "You never look motivated to me."
Maybe I come across better on audio.
Who knew?
Now I leave the bank agitated, worried about carrying the appropriate demeanor.
(I should have at least mentioned my new book, The Power of Pause: becoming more by doing less.)
power-of-pause.htm
amazon.com/PowerPause
Anyway, what do motivated people look like?
Do I go for Bruce Willis in Die Hard, Katherine Hepburn in African Queen, or Sally Field in The Flying Nun?
In the end I am certain that I look pinched and neurotic, which is what happens every time we are too concerned about image and public opinion. ("I'm not necessarily the girl you think you see, whoever you want is exactly who I'm more than willing to be." Carly Simon sang in "The Girl You Think You See")
What do we expect when we live in a culture where the "make-over industry" is fundamental to our national psyche. After all, what will "they" think?
Here's the deal - when we worry about appearance or image:
--We run from those places that are uncomfortable or awkward (scolding ourselves for what we "should" feel). We run from times of unraveling, or those times when we are clearly NOT motivated.
--And we live in a perpetual state of tinkering (stuck in the world of "some day and if-only"), never at home in our own skin.
Two friends told me this week, "Where I am right now in my life, is not fun. I think I could just die, and it would be okay."
Truth is, I understand.
I know those thoughts; when I believe I have no options, or am too tired to figure it out, or the weight of life is too heavy.
We may see it coming (this weight), or it may take us by surprise (kind of a tsunami). But whether the knife falls on the melon, or the melon falls on the knife, it's still the melon that suffers. Not unlike our heart.
In the story of Theseus and the Minotaur (tale from ancient Greece), after Theseus has slain the beast in the center of the underground labyrinth, he guides himself back to the surface by a length of thread given him by Ariadne, the king's daughter, retracing his steps through the dark maze of tunnels.
Where is that thread for you?
Where are those sanctuaries-people or place-that help us remember who we are and those parts of us that have not yet gone to sleep?
Where (and how) do we give ourselves the permission to hang on to that thread-and embrace the present?
These are called the Dog Days of summer (which I don't quite understand). I do know that it means the air has turned (it is cooler at night), and the blackberries are ripe. They are sweeter this year--or so it seems--and when we stand around the Saturday Market, we tell each other that we "hope we have a few more good days like these," before the rainy season sets it.
I know this: even in the Dog Days, I found a thread. The other night, it was music. Under an Indigo blue night sky we enjoyed the final Island outdoor concert. It was Bluegrass, with a Dobro that yanks at the heart. Above me, the moon is exactly one-half, so I'm not sure whether it's waxing or waning. But I savor the moment nonetheless.
Today I spent the day in Stanley Park (Vancouver, British Columbia).
It was filled with people, biking, picnicking, playing, sitting, napping and walking. The park is extraordinary, and wherever we walk, two-hundred-year-old Redwood trees bear witness, offering shade and tranquility.
Tomorrow, I start work, conducting a retreat for a Vancouver school. I was planning to jot some things down today.
But truthfully, I didn't feel that motivated.
I guess whoever Bailey was-if there was a Bailey-he knew this place had to be real mobile. Even though this planet is round, there are just too many spots where you can find yourself hanging on to the edge just like I was; and unless there's some space, some place, to take a breather for a while, the edge of the world-frightening as it is-could be the end of the world, which would be quite a pity. Bailey's Cafe, Gloria Naylor
"Be still:
There is no longer any need of comment.
It was a lucky wind
That blew away his halo with his cares,
A lucky sea that drowned his reputation."
Thomas Merton
Whatever happens to me in life,
I must believe that somewhere,
In the mess or madness of it all
There is a sacred potential-
A possibility for wondrous redemption
In the embracing of all that is.
Edwina Gateley, A Mystical Heart
Our prayer --
Our true home is in the present moment.
The miracle is not to walk on water.
The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment.
Peace is all around us--in the world and in nature--and within us--in our bodies and our spirits.
Once we learn to touch this peace, we will be healed and transformed.
Thich Nhat Hanh
New pictures of Terry's garden. (There will be new pictures to come. Look for updates in future Sabbath Moments.)
TerrysGarden
Take the PAUSE assessment quiz.
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Reviews on The Power of Pause</i>
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Favorites from last week:
Group members simulate an African thunderstorm with their hands.
videos.komando.com/african
playingforchange - Playing For Change: Peace Through Music is a film that explores our connections in a world overwhelmed with division
youtube.playingforchange
Photo montage to U2 Love Rescue Me
youtube.com/U2
Terry's new book is FINALLY
HERE,
The Power
of Pause:
becoming more by doing less,
available
now.
For a 35% DISCOUNT on your order,
use the
discount code PAUSE.
Any
questions call 800-524-5370.
power-of-pause.htm
Also see our publisher's site:
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