I knew it had been a while since I last posted, yet I am startled to see how long it has actually been: more than two months.
Why the void? Writer’s block, lack of gratitude, inability to voice that for which I am or should be grateful? Probably some of that. More pertinent, though, is my conundrum between doing and being.
The past several months I feel I have been working on a never-ending stream of commitments, commitments I have willingly made with a few that just come with living — like taxes. This busyness reflects a cultural norm: our self image is tied to what we do and accomplish and, no doubt to excess, the material wealth and possessions that we accumulate.
In my case, I also fall prey to taking on what sounds interesting and where I can contribute and, therefore, feel I should. My “yeses” inevitably lead to becoming overwhelmed, especially when everything is due at once! (Why do deadlines bunch up like that?)
I recall listening to a sermon where the minister advised us to balance doing with being.
Her theme was that each of us is separate from what we do, and we need to allow ourselves time for just being. To live meaningful and fulfilling lives, we require and deserve quiet reflection, to discern who we truly are and our relationship to the world and the transcendent mystery of life.
These blog postings come from my own process of discernment. When I don’t take time for reflection, I find myself plodding along the ruts of the dirt road and losing the view of the surrounding trees, the hills in the distance, and the puffy white clouds overhead.
I am grateful that I have much meaningful work to do and am able to contribute towards positive outcomes. Nevertheless, I also need to regain my balance between the doing and being.
May you find the right point of harmony in your own life.
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