Well…a day late because we’ve been on a road trip to southern Colorado which was absolutely breathtaking. I mean the beauty can take your breath away…and my heart was just so full and grateful for the glorious landscape surrounding me. And I guess the mountains, blue sky, the rushing river in the valley are free to us if we only have eyes to see them. That being said…I want to echo what Carol shared in that there are so many of our brothers and sisters who will never experience this and I pray for them all in our suffering world. I think God would want me to remember them and hold them close with compassion and never ever take anything that I am given for granted.
Carol made such a deep point with her list of things that aren’t free. The roof over my head, the food I eat, the power that lets me turn on this laptop and type–none of those are free. Are they the best things in life? My ability to step outside and enjoy the warm sun and blooming flowers arises in part from the fact that I’m not desperately seeking a safe place to sleep tonight or a way to scavenge some food. My children are wonderful, and cost me the physical pains of pregnancy, delivery and recovery, and many, many tens of thousands of dollars over the years (but at least they have straight teeth!).
I’m beginning to think this is one cliche that needs to be retired. It embeds a lot of privilege and a lot of taking-for-granted even though this question is prompting us not to do that.
In the summer months there is many activities that are free like the summer concerts in many local towns where I live. I love finding new things to do and if they are free then all the better. Many local theater/Music venues will offer “pay what you can” and I love that concept too. The local libraries also have lots to do like yoga and craft classes. They have museum passes also.
About 5 minutes ago I emailed my husband with a list of free local concerts in the park and the suggestion that we could turn these into bike dates with picnics. Love that my community offers these and many more free events to enjoy and build social bonds.
One thing I have been doing to savor the moment more is taking videos with my phone. Taking a video allows me to savor the moment more because I know I can revisit it whenever I want. The things I record my daughters doing are things most people would not even notice. Like watching TV or playing games. Even though it doesn’t seem like it would be important to remember, I know when my girls are grown up I’ll want to revisit these memories and be so thankful that I took the time to document these seemingly unimportant moments, as they will be priceless to me in the future.
Besides savoring them more I need to just being to enjoy them! I need to become more active and so sedentary. Being physically active is difficult but because I don’t push myself I don’t get to experience, let alone savor, the free things in life.
Are the best things in life free? Or – must we be responsible and take responsibility with the freedoms we are given and have? This seems like a very complicated question to answer with clarity, depth and wisdom. I suppose my first answer is gosh no – the best things in life are not free at all. It is when we realize that that we are able to step more fully into the blessings and gifts we have, to show up and do our own small part.
Are the best things in life free? I wonder what desperate folks at our southern border would say. I wonder what men fighting on the front lines in Ukraine would say. I wonder what refugees in the Middle East living in tents for years because they had to flee their homes would say. I wonder what the little 15 month old baby would say if she had survived the week her 20 year old mom left her locked in the house alone so she could go party with her so-called friends. The baby didn’t survive. No food or water within her reach to nourish her tiny body. That’s just one of the stories in this week’s news that is heartbreaking. The best things in life are not always free. We have yet to figure out that we are Life. It’s our inhumanity toward each other that truly threatens the things we deem free. May I aIways savor the gift of Life. May I always care and share. May I be an instrument of peace. I love the words to a song (St. Theresa’s Prayer) by John Michael Talbot. I share them below:
Christ has no body now but yours
No hands, no feet on earth, but yours
Yours are the eyes through which He looks
Compassion on this world
Yours are the feet with which He walks
To do good
Yours are the hands
With which He blesses all the world
Yours are the hands
Yours are the feet
Yours are the eyes
You are His body
Christ has no body now but yours
No hands, no feet on earth, but yours
Yours are the eyes through which He looks
Compassion on this world
Christ has no body now on earth
But yours
Thank you, Carol. How beautiful…and certainly words to live by. The events of this past week were as you described heartbreaking…as are most weeks….for many people on this earth. We are so Blessed…again Thank you.
By remembering Stop. Look. Go! How helpful that is. I do try to savor the moments of beauty…just looking at the flowers, the trees and the birds that fly by- and being grateful for all of it. Yesterday, I had to go into a nearby city – a hours drive on highway. The “city” is typical, many business buildings, traffic lights, people, shopping areas…concrete! By the time I got home to my quiet and green area of home; I was exhausted. I said to my husband…”Well, I did more than enough driving for the rest of the week…at least”. I don’t like to leave my “neck of the woods” often…too much of everything that isn’t nature! I am grateful for this question and I am very grateful for my life.
Take a moment to pause, to interrupt the momentum of my mental task list of getting things done. There’s a reason the adage is, “Stop and smell the roses” and not, “Smell the roses.”
To look at everything with the wonderment of a child. Continuously observing the changes in the sky, the changes of the plants, and the arrival and departure of all the various beings of the sky, the ground dwelling ones, even the insects. All are harbingers of the tilting of the earth with the accompanying changes of the seasons. To be aware of the love of my family and to give that love back. To have gratitude, presence and loving kindness for all beings and all of the above.
Yes, through the eyes of a child. I especially love to observe a preschooler who is always present to the moment. In his book “One Minute Wisdom” Anthony de Mello defines spirituality as awareness.
The disciple ask the Master to define Spirituality. The Master replied, “Awareness.” The disciple said, ” I mean give me a full definition.” The Master replied, “Awareness…Awareness…Awareness.”
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Well…a day late because we’ve been on a road trip to southern Colorado which was absolutely breathtaking. I mean the beauty can take your breath away…and my heart was just so full and grateful for the glorious landscape surrounding me. And I guess the mountains, blue sky, the rushing river in the valley are free to us if we only have eyes to see them. That being said…I want to echo what Carol shared in that there are so many of our brothers and sisters who will never experience this and I pray for them all in our suffering world. I think God would want me to remember them and hold them close with compassion and never ever take anything that I am given for granted.
A special day late prayer Tuesday to my lovely friend Pilgrim…as we have journeyed together this many years. Om Shanti friend. 🙏
Carol made such a deep point with her list of things that aren’t free. The roof over my head, the food I eat, the power that lets me turn on this laptop and type–none of those are free. Are they the best things in life? My ability to step outside and enjoy the warm sun and blooming flowers arises in part from the fact that I’m not desperately seeking a safe place to sleep tonight or a way to scavenge some food. My children are wonderful, and cost me the physical pains of pregnancy, delivery and recovery, and many, many tens of thousands of dollars over the years (but at least they have straight teeth!).
I’m beginning to think this is one cliche that needs to be retired. It embeds a lot of privilege and a lot of taking-for-granted even though this question is prompting us not to do that.
In the summer months there is many activities that are free like the summer concerts in many local towns where I live. I love finding new things to do and if they are free then all the better. Many local theater/Music venues will offer “pay what you can” and I love that concept too. The local libraries also have lots to do like yoga and craft classes. They have museum passes also.
About 5 minutes ago I emailed my husband with a list of free local concerts in the park and the suggestion that we could turn these into bike dates with picnics. Love that my community offers these and many more free events to enjoy and build social bonds.
One thing I have been doing to savor the moment more is taking videos with my phone. Taking a video allows me to savor the moment more because I know I can revisit it whenever I want. The things I record my daughters doing are things most people would not even notice. Like watching TV or playing games. Even though it doesn’t seem like it would be important to remember, I know when my girls are grown up I’ll want to revisit these memories and be so thankful that I took the time to document these seemingly unimportant moments, as they will be priceless to me in the future.
Besides savoring them more I need to just being to enjoy them! I need to become more active and so sedentary. Being physically active is difficult but because I don’t push myself I don’t get to experience, let alone savor, the free things in life.
I am with Carol.
Are the best things in life free? Or – must we be responsible and take responsibility with the freedoms we are given and have? This seems like a very complicated question to answer with clarity, depth and wisdom. I suppose my first answer is gosh no – the best things in life are not free at all. It is when we realize that that we are able to step more fully into the blessings and gifts we have, to show up and do our own small part.
Best for a beautiful day, all.
Warmly,
KC
Are the best things in life free? I wonder what desperate folks at our southern border would say. I wonder what men fighting on the front lines in Ukraine would say. I wonder what refugees in the Middle East living in tents for years because they had to flee their homes would say. I wonder what the little 15 month old baby would say if she had survived the week her 20 year old mom left her locked in the house alone so she could go party with her so-called friends. The baby didn’t survive. No food or water within her reach to nourish her tiny body. That’s just one of the stories in this week’s news that is heartbreaking. The best things in life are not always free. We have yet to figure out that we are Life. It’s our inhumanity toward each other that truly threatens the things we deem free. May I aIways savor the gift of Life. May I always care and share. May I be an instrument of peace. I love the words to a song (St. Theresa’s Prayer) by John Michael Talbot. I share them below:
Christ has no body now but yours
No hands, no feet on earth, but yours
Yours are the eyes through which He looks
Compassion on this world
Yours are the feet with which He walks
To do good
Yours are the hands
With which He blesses all the world
Yours are the hands
Yours are the feet
Yours are the eyes
You are His body
Christ has no body now but yours
No hands, no feet on earth, but yours
Yours are the eyes through which He looks
Compassion on this world
Christ has no body now on earth
But yours
Songwriters: John Michael Talbot
St. Theresa’s Prayer lyrics © Birdwing Music
Thank you, Carol. How beautiful…and certainly words to live by. The events of this past week were as you described heartbreaking…as are most weeks….for many people on this earth. We are so Blessed…again Thank you.
Simply beautiful Carol…thank you for sharing.
Amen.
Thanks Carol. I appreciate our response very much. Warmly, KC
By remembering Stop. Look. Go! How helpful that is. I do try to savor the moments of beauty…just looking at the flowers, the trees and the birds that fly by- and being grateful for all of it. Yesterday, I had to go into a nearby city – a hours drive on highway. The “city” is typical, many business buildings, traffic lights, people, shopping areas…concrete! By the time I got home to my quiet and green area of home; I was exhausted. I said to my husband…”Well, I did more than enough driving for the rest of the week…at least”. I don’t like to leave my “neck of the woods” often…too much of everything that isn’t nature! I am grateful for this question and I am very grateful for my life.
Nanette…your gratitude always shines through! As does everyone’s here! Such a blessed way to start my day.
By simply living in the present moment
with gratitude. By catching myself, over
and over again, and coming back to this
moment.
Amen…awareness…awareness…awareness.
First off, I need to be aware that there are such objects and then Stop, Look, Go.
Pause, Look Around, Receive, Reflect.
Take a moment to pause, to interrupt the momentum of my mental task list of getting things done. There’s a reason the adage is, “Stop and smell the roses” and not, “Smell the roses.”
Thanks, Laura. Love it!
Stop, look and go! Brother David teaches us this beauty- and I would add let go of this me !
To look at everything with the wonderment of a child. Continuously observing the changes in the sky, the changes of the plants, and the arrival and departure of all the various beings of the sky, the ground dwelling ones, even the insects. All are harbingers of the tilting of the earth with the accompanying changes of the seasons. To be aware of the love of my family and to give that love back. To have gratitude, presence and loving kindness for all beings and all of the above.
This is beautiful. Thank you.
Yes, through the eyes of a child. I especially love to observe a preschooler who is always present to the moment. In his book “One Minute Wisdom” Anthony de Mello defines spirituality as awareness.
The disciple ask the Master to define Spirituality. The Master replied, “Awareness.” The disciple said, ” I mean give me a full definition.” The Master replied, “Awareness…Awareness…Awareness.”
Beautiful! Thank you !
Live simply and enjoy every moment gratefully..
EJP…it seems to me that living simply is such a peace-filled way to live. There is magic there!