Finding our way to The Way one situation at a time. I don't know how great it will be, but I expect it will be interesting, and I look forward to it going on past all reason because wonder is just that way. Are you coming or not?
Emerald Lake — Yoho National Park, Field, British Columbia
What is called for, when, where and how?
Silence is always in play.
When we don't know what else to do, sit still, be quiet, wait to see what arises in the silence, what opens up, what stirs to life, what winks at us and calls our name.
We can always drop into the silence and see what meets us there.
The silence depends on nothing coming with us there. No wants. No plans. No agendas. No schemes.
We are not here to get what we want!
The Buddha said it best, 2,500, or so years ago. "Peaceful abiding, here, now."
No wants, no desire, no fear.
Just sitting still, being quiet, seeing what arises with an urgency about it, asking us to do what is called for, with our original nature, our innate virtues (The things we do best and enjoy doing most), our inherent imagination, our intrinsic intuition.
How do we need to put ourselves in play for the good of the time that is at hand? When the mud settles and the water clears, stand up and do what needs to be done!
And when it is done, drop back into the silence, waiting to see what's next.
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.
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Jim Dollar's Photography and Philosophy 