A group of churches in our community are taking the month of May to give back to the community. They are coming together despite the differences in their beliefs and practices to exercise a common belief. If you want to show true love, serve others. Pretty simple. I love to see simplicity. I have to admit, I'm not always good at keeping things simple, when it's most required especially. I love this campaign, and am sorry I didn't see it sooner. However, I am thankful I saw it at all.
For an odd unknown reason, I needed to purchase a paper copy of The Record yesterday, and one day late at that. I said to the teller, I don't usually buy newspapers, because life is so busy, I am used to just going after exactly what I want to find on the internet. But yesterday, I felt I needed information to come to me instead, opening up the possibility that the universe would provide me with some new piece of information I may need for the days to come. Back to coincidence, or fate, or synergy, or God, depending on who you are and what you want to call it.
So, I opened the paper and I listened. For these church groups, May has been designated as a month for giving back. For me, in my own immediate life, I am starting a few steps behind. First, I have to know what is truly going on, then I might have a chance at knowing what is required of me. It seems I spend so much time planning, executing, assessing the aftermath. This is all great, but it can also make reality harder to find. What's really going on can get lost in the chaos of life. If you want to see you have to look. If you want to hear, you have to be quiet..and listen.
So, in the month of May, I am listening. At the beginning and ending of each day, I will take pause to record what I have heard, but also, how I have listened. I am ecstatic in anticipation of what I might hear. When you listen to life, I believe, it talks to you, lays down straight where things are at. Much like I feel when I think about doing push ups (which I haven't done in far too long), I know it's going to be a challenge at first.
Opportunities to listen. I am sure there are tons I have ignored most of my life. There is listening to someone, and then there is listening to hear what they are really saying. How much will I hear if I listen to the people around me, messages from different sources out there, the silence.
I'll start today, with mindful listening. The first thing I hear is that a certain three point five year old needs some fresh air. Maybe we can join one of the churches in their park clean up.
