June 02, 2023

Posted byjimwdollarPosted in06/25/2020
Cattails 10/25/2011 Oil Paint Rendered — Pamlico Sound, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Ocracoke Island, North Carolina
The Joy of life and being
is never more than a perspective shift away.

It resides with seeing all things
as being "transparent to transcendence"
(Joseph Campbell),
and knowing that we are capable
of realizations that transport us
to realms of joy and wonder,
anyway,
nevertheless,
even so,
no matter what.

What something "is" to us
is dependent upon the weight we give it
and the place we allot it 
in our life,
which is to say in our time and attention.

Some people find their joy
and their vitality
in horses,
hammocks,
books,
music,
trips to the mountains
or to the sea...
and some people don't.

Where do you find yours?

Wherever it is,
spend more time there,
devote more attention 
to its experience
and its company,
which means giving less time
and attention 
to the things that rob you
of joy and vitality
throughout your life.

Turning the light around
is as simple as that.

–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, five granddaughters, one great granddaughter, and a great grandson on the way, within about ten minutes from where we live--and are enjoying our retirement as much as we have ever enjoyed anything.

One thought on “June 02, 2023”

Leave a comment