Life is just life. Appearing as it’s appearing, moment after moment.
Whether we like it or not.
Whether we stamp it with approval or long to toss it in the garbage.
Seeing the Holy is a way of glimpsing the such-ness of life.
We’re not just focused on the wee self anymore–there’s a sense of spaciousness and relaxation and encompassment that doesn’t deny the wee self, but doesn’t keep it highlighted at the center anymore.
How is life appearing here this morning?
Barry lingers longer with his coffee on the couch these dark November mornings. He’s not leaping toward work at 7 a.m. I am pondering that he’s starting to relax towards retirement. He’s thinking he’ll wait until age 66–about a year and a half away now– when it’s possible to collect full social security, but who knows? I just watch him comfortable on the couch with coffee and wonder if he’ll delay that long.
We don’t know much of anything these days, do we? (Spirit says: And can you relax in not-knowing?)
Yesterday I walked with my good friend, Deb, on the beach behind the Pow Wow grounds on the other side of the Keweenaw Bay. It’s hunting season in the northwoods, so you want to stay out of the woods. We canceled our plans to get together with her and her husband at Thanksgiving, but we decided an outdoor walk was safe. We stayed six feet apart, walked two miles, chatted for an hour. We’ve been getting together with them all summer, outside and in well-ventilated spaces. But Thanksgiving felt like a no…so we disinvited them last week. That felt awkward, but right. (Spirit says: and are you OK with awkward but right?)
We both snapped pictures of the Baraga Lighthouse with our phones. The sky and clouds loomed awesome above the lighthouse, but the lighthouse didn’t even appear on the photo. (Spirit says: Are you OK with what shows up? Can you be totally OK with what is revealed?)
I did not start cleaning the house yet, Oh Holy. See yesterday’s post. Today, I promise, promise, promise to start with the messy closet in the center of the house. Will go snap a photo of said messy closet.
Oh my goodness, does this feel vulnerable in the nethers of the stomach to share my messy closet with the world! (Spirit inquires: Are you OK, with that, Kathy, or do you want to keep it private for now? Kathy thinks and replies: I’m cool with it, but thanks for asking.)\
I would like to clean that closet consciously this morning. Like a meditation. Picking up each item, pondering if it’s still needed or relevant or loved, placing items in a bag for the resale store. Breathing. Not lost in mazes of thoughts. Continually returning to the body, to the aura of peace, to just life appearing now, now, now. Being compassionate when I realize that thoughts hijacked the Kathy-plane at least six dozen times.
It’s so easy to lose ourselves in mazes of thoughts. Lost in a human dream of you, me, this, that.
I want to be here today. For hopefully minutes or god-willing an hour or miraculously a day. The Holy is always here, whether we know it or not. But those seconds we know it feels like the peace that passeth all understanding–or maybe just pumpkin pie for the soul. (Making pumpkin-squash pie with whipped coconut cream this weekend!)
Spirit says: thanks for including me in your day. Thanks to all of you who pause and connect with Me.
Day 34 of a seventy-five day journey to connect more deeply with God, Spirit, Holy, Love…to explore “What the Heart Knows” during the waning days of 2020.
Lake Superior Spirit 
I haven’t started to clean anything at all yet…months and months into a period where cleaning closets should feel good. But today I will get other things done, and maybe dust. Maybe finish the book I’m reading. Maybe, especially maybe, take the dog for a walk as it’s supposed to be beautiful out there! I hope you have a beautiful day too. And pie sounds like a good idea!
Dusting sounds like an accomplishment, Dawn! I have books, online jigsaw puzzles, a movie to watch. Some muffins to make. Other people’s blogs to read. But determined to get up enough energy for that closet. Took a bunch of things out of the bottom and put them on the living room floor. Now there’s no turning back. 🙂
Hope you got it done! Otherwise…well…the living room will be converted to a closet!
It’s done!! It only took an hour and it was actually fun and energizing-go figure.
I am wildly curious about Mother Putnam. Maybe someday I will make a cartoon about her!
I would love to see Mother Putnam in one of your cartoons! It looks like she’s reading the Bible but she could be reading any book. But someone once suggested that this statue may have been an advertising gimmick to sell blackberry cordial?!! I am not sure if I want to believe this story. Went searching in the comments to find this guy’s assessment, but no luck.
Thanks for the tidbits about her, Kathy! I’m still doing cartoon therapy this week. I’ve saved that photo as a reference, and we’ll see if it turns into anything 🙂
Loving your picture selections these days! That closet already has pockets of organization within it. Why am I not surprised? It looks like my closets. Just some stuff that doesn’t seem to cooperate with the space. So far, I’ve only gone through a scarf collection. Pared that baby right down. Ha!
Then I did laundry. Then I got lost looking online for Christmas presents …. sigh, and landed here. A good place to land! You’re right, the Holy is always here.
So glad you and Deb got a walk in since there will be no Thanksgiving together this year. The sky looks amazing! Best wishes for getting through that closet, and for the rest of this Holy day. Windy hugs from across the bay…
Just curious–will you donate the pared scarves to St. Vinnies? That’s where we often take things, but sometimes up to Goodwill. Not sure who is accepting goods these days. Smiling at your convoluted path here, there, and everywhere. It was SO FUN cleaning out the closet today! Still energized by it. As for the walk Deb and I took…maybe you and I will get another one in before snow, too. That would be a bonus.
My donations usually start right here where I live. We put things on a table in the laundry room. If they are not taken, then Vinnie’s it is! We will see about that walk possibility before snow, and yay for you for fun cleaning the closet AND energy from it!
Kathy,
Soulful pumpkin pie! Yeah!
I was about to google historic Thanksgiving ingredients/produce to create content as well as knowledge. My intuition tells me early Thanksgiving was more plant based seasonal fair then we tend to put out.. anyway that maybe my distraction for today.
The fact that I am here now typing, responding to you is a plus because I woke with a strong desire to laze about, reading, sipping coffee, eating brownies, which in a way ignoring the world around me, yet if I don’t get to the store I might eat too many things that are not good for me.
Journalling this morning the phrase; “the balance between self and spirit is a delicate one” the balance has to be awareness, the balance I believe comes from asking “Holy” to be with us as we go about our day, moment to moment.
(as I write this spirit is nudging me to write my own blog, instead of filling yours with my thoughts) Ha ha!
Put some fun music on while you organize those selves. enjoy the experience…
Jeff, do you make pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving? I’ll bet there were lots of veggies in the early celebrations, although there may have been farm and wild animals killed for the feast as well. (Ooops, I shouldn’t be typing that to a vegan, should I?)
Nodding at the phrase that came up in your journaling today. You are right–it is a balance, and a delicate one, to boot. Looking forward to seeing if you start blogging again–it sounds like you’re being prompted. P.S. Put on Christmas music as I cleaned today!
I’m going to clean this afternoon — after I get some work finished this morning. It always feels so good to look around and know that things are once again tidy and clean. Congrats on making it a holy experience!
Debbie, I am convinced everything can be a holy experience–IF we pay attention. And, I suppose, even if we don’t pay attention it still is holy, we’re just missing it. Hope you had a successful/fun cleaning experience. I finished my closet!
I try to spend about an hour at least a few days a week discarding clutter. This effort has been going on for months, finally I have to space to tackle it at all. A little bit, fairly often, suits my personality best.
Good job staying on top of your clutter in such a methodical manner, Deb. I think that would be a perfect way to go about things. Could I have a little of your personality? *smile*
I love reading your stream of consciousness – it makes me feel like a more normal person.
I am laughing out loud, Sherry. Once you get into a person’s head–I guess we realize we’re more alike and normal than we thought!
and here I thought pumpkin pie couldn’t get any better ♥ now I am even more certain it’s my favorite dessert and that I am on a good path with Christ ♥
Holy pumpkin pie, Amanda-Lyn! LOL!
You’re welcome. 🙂
❤
Pie seems to be the topic of my day. Here, elsewhere, everywhere, I guess. I’ve no idea what that means. I wish you well cleaning out your closet, but if you don’t get to it today here is what I’ve learned: it won’t matter because the closet will wait for you! 😁
You’re caught in a pie circular loop, Ally Bean. I think what it means is this–you need to make a pie. Or perhaps have a piece of take-out pie. Or draw a picture of a pie. Or the center of a circle is Pie-R-Squared. 🙂
I finished my pre Christmas clean last week, otherwise I could have shown you a messy cupboard 🙂. It’s hard to sort cupboards with hubby around, I throw away and he retrieves it, honestly what use is a rusty nail?
Bright Blessings and good health
Oh dear, Tilly, that does sound impossible! So hard with the hubbies at times. My husband saved used car seats for 40 years because he might–just might–use them “one of these days”. Glad you’re on the ball with your pre Christmas clean.
😄 You have to love them and we do.
I cleaned out a drawer yesterday, picked up a few things. It feels as though this could take forever until I remind myself to stay with what I’m doing and stop focusing on what’s ahead. Today I’m cleaning the bedroom because it’s time to change the sheets, wash the bedding, etc. So, it feels like a good place to do a little more decluttering and cleaning. ❤
Robin, I know what you mean about this cleaning sometimes feels like it will take forever. It sounds like you are working steadfastly but staying in the moment as best as possible. It took me an hour to clear and declutter our closet yesterday but it sure feels good. Next area–the basement. Then I’ll work my way up.
Your closet doesn’t look that messy to me, Kathy. Perhaps that’s because I saw far worse at my inlaw’s house recently. Nothing is as bad as what their house looked like. 😉
I suppose some people have really messy closets! Mine is just medium-messy and I’m not as happy as when it’s clean and sorted and decluttered.