As I sat writing the message for this week’s enews, my hourly mindfulness chime rang. Right on que, I rose from my chair, stepped into the courtyard and slowly, mindfully walked around the magnificent live oak tree that calls the courtyard home. As I walked around the courtyard breathing deeply and oh so slowly, I synchronize my step with my breath and took in the sight of lilies bursting open. Lilies, round two, poured out the sweet scent of spring. There are other beautiful white blossoms whose name I do not know. Yet I take in the intricacy and the perfection of their form and they seem to smile having been noticed for their beauty. The gentle breeze invoked the wind chimes into soft song to serenade my walk. “This is bliss” I thought is I completed my walk.
As I made my way back inside, I turned for one more glance at the tree. “Come sit a while with me” it seemed to say, “there’s much for me to tell you, much for me to share”. Of course, I seized the opportunity to sit in the loveliness of Katherine’s Courtyard once more. I lifted a thought of gratitude for the portability of my laptop and return outside to complete my writing. I suppose the real story is that as I sat, a whole new story began to write itself. It is indeed a beautiful day and the sun is shining through the branches of the great tree offering a perfect light in which to write. So I sat, and I listened for a while and this is what I heard:
This life we live is for our joy, our pleasure and for our love. This life is meant to be a time of remembering. A time of remembering the importance of kindness for each other, even and especially the other we don’t quiet understand or agree with. This life is meant to be a time of becoming. Becoming keenly aware of the beauty of nature and all of creation. We mustn’t see ourselves separate from nature. Rather, as we see ourselves as a beautiful part of all creation, we may better see our beauty as an individual. We may also know that our contribution is vital to the whole. We are incomplete without each other. As I sit beneath this mighty live oak tree, I feel the essence of it expanding beyond it’s branches. I see it rise high above the roof our Unity church and peer out over the neighborhood to extended it greatness and its majesty to all who pass by. I wonder silently, how many people have walked beneath its branches that spread over the sidewalk offering a moment of shade to all whether they notice or not.
This tree has stood for many years simply being. Without worry of being noticed or appreciated or thanked for its wisdom, its stunning grace and beauty, or even for the bit of shade it lends to passersby. What a testament and example of a humble servant life. This tree, seems to tell me that I, we might do the same.
Little did I know when I paused for a mindful moment this afternoon, that I would receive such a lesson about how I might live my life. Little did I know when I stepped into Katherine’s Courtyard I would be gifted moments of complete tranquility and an entirely different message to share with you. Being present to others, doing what is mine to do- no more, no less. Living, loving, sharing kindness along the way sounds like a perfect life to me. How about you?
Sunday, we see what doors open with our “Keys to the Kingdom”. We will share spiritual communion after the Celebration Service.
Many blessings, much love,
Rev. Karen