January 04-A, 2023

**The Woods at Springer’s Point 02 10/28/2011 Oil Paint Rendered — Cape Hatteras Seashore, Ocracoke Island, North Carolina**

There is no consensus
regarding what is called for,
what needs to happen
in each situation 
as it arises.

We are on our own. 
We hear different things
from the emptiness,
stillness
and silence
regarding what needs to be done,
what is ours to do.

Our place is to heed the call we hear.
To do what is asked of us,
with our particular gifts
of original nature
and innate character components.

Being true to our heart
necessitates different forms of action.
We have different hearts.
We have different interests and specialties.
We are good for different things.

There are no duplications
in the world of human beings.
We are on different paths.
Our traveling companions
are emptiness,
stillness,
silence,
integrity,
spontaneity,
energy,
vitality,
life--
and our life is our own to live
in ways that exhibit the truth
of our heart and soul.

No uniformity.
No conformity.
Each marches to the tune
of a different drummer.
Blazing our own trail,
finding our own way,
singing our own song,
in the joint work
of serving our own gifts
in doing what needs to be done.

–0–

Published by jimwdollar

I'm retired, and still finding my way--but now, I don't have to pretend that I know what I'm doing. I retired after 40.5 years as a minister in the Presbyterian Church USA, serving churches in Louisiana, Mississippi and North Carolina. I graduated from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, in Austin, Texas, and Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. My wife, Judy, and I have three daughters and five granddaughters within about twenty minutes from where we live--and are enjoying our retirement as much as we have ever enjoyed anything. View more posts