At 5:30 a.m. sitting on the couch with coffee in hand–I wondered what the heck to write about today.
Looked inside the seeming abyss of the mind. Absolutely nothing there to share.
Here we go again.
OK, Holy, what do YOU want to say today?
Nothing cheerfully announced itself. But if I’ve learned anything during these last seventy days it is this–ask, and wait. Every single day something arises, even if it’s The barrel is empty.
At 5:59 a.m. a newsletter email popped up by Suzi Banks Baum. Its title? What matters.
The Holy nodded its wise head and pointed its long finger toward the heart.
That is today’s topic, thank you very much, Suzi and Spirit and Serendipity.
The Holy wants to talk about What Matters. It must be a popular topic with the Holy today.
Before I go any further, you must understand something. I, Kathy, often have no idea what will come out of the typing fingers. Some of you have suggested that I sometimes have wisdom to offer. Please do not assume that.
It’s more about making ourselves empty so that Spirit says what it wants to say. Sure, it may have a Kathy flavor. But often what comes out of the typing fingers is as much a lesson for me as it is for anyone. Spirit definitely wants me to contemplate what matters today. If it inspires any of you–that’s an added bonus.
So let’s see what comes up.
Every single day we’re choosing this and that action. We’re reading a book, calling our friend, typing an email, popping popcorn. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I notice I’m simply moving from routine. Doing things because they’re familiar, because they’re easy, because they feel good.
Days can pass in a blur as they click by one sunrise after another. (Swiftly fly the days, oh you Fiddler on the Roof fans!)
Sometimes an achy feeling might arise. Am I doing what really matters to me? Or am I just moving mechanically from one conditioned reaction to the next?
We only have one, five, ten, thirty, sixty years left on the planet. Are we adjusting our inner compass to true north? Are we looking carefully at what fills the basket of our soul to the brim?
Are we continually returning to what really matters?
Meditation, or sitting with Spirit, teaches the same thing in a different way. A thousand inconsequential thoughts arise. But we return–again and again and again and again–to the silence and awareness of our true nature. We return to what really matters. So that we can feel the Holy. And then perhaps respond from that Holy’s prompting instead of conditioned reactivity.
So that’s today’s prompt. To ponder what really matters. To adjust the compass to true north. To keep these eyes and ears wide open to where Spirit wants to birth next.
What really matters to you?
P.S. Here is a guest blog Suzi wrote here in 2011. Meet Suzi: The compass of her soul points north. Here is a link to her blog. Thank you so much, Suzi!
Day 70 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 want to be a more loving and compassionate person. Over the years I have found myself feeling irritated with people. I want to learn how to find the good in people vs always seeing the negative in people. I have allowed the pandemic and all that has come with it to feed my negativity. I want to do more than just survive the 24 hours of each day. If you are familiar with Jeff Dunham and his puppet Walter then you know what I can be like. So, my desire for 2021 is to be more loving and cheerful towards my fellow humans. I know it is not going to be easy but I want to make that effort. With God on my side and the spirit of God living in me, I believe that I can make some subtle changes every day to work towards that goal.
James, this sounds like your heart truly wants to make this effort to be more loving and caring toward people. It feels like this is where the compass of your “true north” is pointing right now. I know about being irritated with people, as well, and also that it’s possible to see something larger than that irritation. This pandemic time has been hard on many. I love that you’re aligning with God to make this change happen. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Thank you, Kathy. ♥ This reminded me so much of a meditation we worked on for a month or more in yoga class, a finding of the inner compass and waiting to see where true north lies for us. It’s different for everybody, isn’t it?
What really matters to me today… hmmmm. I noted to a friend this morning that since I adopted “don’t be a jerk” as my new motto that I’ve become more aware of when the mouth wants to speak before the brain has had time to send the message to the heart and see if that’s what I really want to say. I suppose I could have worded my motto in a more spiritual, heartful way, but “don’t be a jerk” has such an earthy quality to it and if I’ve learned nothing else lately, I’ve learned how earthy I can really be. lol! I do like my feet on the ground and, as it turns out, my dosha is kapha (if one cottons to such things) which is earth and water, although it should be said that we are made up of all of the elements and doshas are merely a map, not the actual land itself.
Hi Robin–how neat that you worked on this for a month or more in your class. It’s more than a one-day musing, for sure. It’s so interesting how there can be a knee-jerk reaction but if we take the time to check back with our heart/spirit–there’s usually something deeper that’s there. So you are kapha–it seems maybe I am pitta or vatta or a combination, can’t remember exactly. Thanks for always sharing so deeply and thoughtfully what’s going on in your mind, body and spirit. It’s been a pleasure having you along for these seventy five days. ❤
I love the last picture, Kathy! From the blue hues to the nail bent over on the rim… Exquisite! Is it yours?
What really matters to me, besides pictures, hmmmm…. Kindness, compassion, empathy, love. Colors, design, comfort, birds, trees, music, art, scents, textures, food, living by the sea. Finding the sacred in the mundane. Life matters! All of it!
Yes, it is, Barbara. It was taken at my parent’s old cottage several years ago. I like how it looks, too, and it seemed to illustrate the “basket of the soul” reference. Loving how you’ve shared what matters to you. Finding sacred in the mundane, the ordinary, matters very much to me as well.
I really like this Kathy. I think when we are open, and receptive ~ we receive. To answer your prompt ~ What really matters to me at this moment today is my family (today and everyday) and on this morning I am thinking about the interconnectedness of all of us and wondering what more it will take for all of us to see and make our world a priority. Not in a sad or discouraged way, but in a genuine wondering kind of way. What will it take, to open all eyes to caring enough for our fellow man to make the changes needed.? Deep wonderings for an early hour, I guess.
Best of days to you and yours. 🤍
LaDonna, that genuine wondering kind of attention can reveal so much. Just asking with curiosity…sometimes we get the most unexpected insights. I think a lot about interconnectedness, too. And how to stay open, so we can be more receptive. Happy to hear that family is what matters most to you at this moment. As well as care for the world. Thank you so much for sharing, and hope your day was enjoyable!
I hope yours was, as well 🤍🤍
mmm … communication from the heart- in whatever way – photos, blogging. Facebook wall – commenting – sensing inside for “is Love inside this? and HUMOR, if possible?
Can I respond to this with love and curiosity? – And if not, can i go sit and hug myself and breathe?
And what really matters – TRUST in this time, and that whatever comes up dark and dreary comes to be forgiven and released. I have a tendency to identify with it – noticing “there i go again”. smile and breathe and let go
I enjoyed reading what matters to you, Leelah. Communication from the heart. ❤ And I like that you add humor to your questioning if this is love. Taking the trusting path along with you. And trying to be gentle when that "there i go again" moment comes up.
Something a friend told me recently said much in few words. People the world over want the same basic things: food to eat, a warm home, a means to support themselves and their families.
Dreams of more than that may vary, but those things matter to everyone. What matters to me is that we create a world where everyone has those basic things. XOXO
What a basic thoughtful simple wish–but so utterly powerful. What if everyone had these things? What a different world we might live in. Thank you, Stacy, for bringing us back to this.
Kathi,
I feel this way when I write. It usually starts by listening to a song or Pastor Dan. Then it forms into a thought, and next I know, my fingers are flying ♥ What matters to me? Honestly, I would say my family matters to me more than anything. I am beyond blessed to have the family I have ((and church families to boot)) that rally around our little circle and pray for us daily…and some of them I probably don’t even know. When I think of my circle of believers around me, I know they know others and those others know others and though it seems my circle is small, I know it if far larger than I could ever fathom. My immediate family has a very strong bond and we laugh and joke and tease and love and share joy and sorrow altogether. Personally in my heart, drawing closer to God in the coming year and getting my 1st book finally written ♥
Amanda, I am glad you know about this way that the fingers almost automatically do the typing. And it’s just like watching the words come out. How fortunate you are to have your family and circle of believers around you, helping you with prayer and humor and acceptance. Wishing you the best for getting that book written! And it sounds like you will always continue to draw closer to God.
You have caused me to make popcorn. I never do that but it sounded really good as a counter to too much sugar. The holiday continues until the sweets are all gone. Blessings of true north abound and they reside in the heart.
Yum–popcorn! I hope you enjoyed it very much. Blessings of true north back to you and your open heart. ❤
This is a great blog title, Kathy, a reminder to address what is important to us and forget the rest. And it’s funny you should say you often don’t know what you are going to write each day. I’m the same. Some days I have heaps to say, some days nothing, other days I sit somewhere in between in the conversation stakes. The main point is, I’ve learned not to stress over what I write because if it comes from the heart, the words must be the “right” words for the day … right? ❤
It sounds like we have developed a similar approach to this daily blogging in many ways, Joanne. Do you find it easier to post because you have pictures? I sometimes think it was a bit easier when writing the daily outdoor blog because you just put the photos on the page and write around them. Either way–love how the right words just come up.
The photos help, but I’ve also had that dilemma you have spoken about sometimes, of the balance between telling the story without revealing anything too personal, especially if it’s associated with another person. I usually write the things I would say if I was showing someone the photos in person. I think that helps. I’ve got to the stage where I just write now, without giving it too much thought, then I go back and fix up the typos and post. I think blogging is far more enjoyable now that I don’t agonise over what I’m saying.
I should also tell you that I’m constantly surprised when I go to your page with something on my mind, and read things you have written about which are the very same things I’m thinking about. I’m not sure why that is, but it happens often.
You are so right, Joanne! When I started the seventy five days there was some agonizing going on. About always having to be “on” or entertaining or something. Now it’s mostly just sitting down and writing without that stress. Am really happy to hear that these posts resonate with you in such a synchronistic way at times. Love that this happens! It shows we are all connected in the larger “field” of awareness.
❤️
Thank you for this calming post. I’ve been feeling a bit panic stricken lately as I have come to realize my true age. Perhaps all this stay-at-homeness is wearing on me. Also having so many people die has made me contemplate my own mortality again. Your statement “we only have x years left’ really struck a cord because that’s how I’ve been feeling. I know two people that died on Christmas Day this year, there are thousands more I know. But two people within my own circle makes me realize again how short life is. I am trying not to feel sad but the feeling is overwhelming as I paint sympathy cards this morning.
I am so glad you were calmed by this post, Dawn. It really can be hard when suddenly we’re faced with the actuality that we’re getting older and death will be coming–someday. And we don’t really know when. So sorry you’ve lost two more people that you knew on Christmas. I read your comment to Barry and reminded him what a rough time you’ve had this year. Hoping your sadness has eased as the day has passed. (I have been kinda sad today on and off, too…)