The Pace of our Words!

{image from Ms Ladyred's flickr site}

We hear so much about the pace of our lives: the incredible need to slow down and enjoy the grace around us.

It may seem as though slowing down is a romantic idea, only realized in an oceanfront villa amidst sun and surf. But, the ability we have to slow ourselves down is very tangible here and now, amidst the snow and cold (and least as it is here, in Upstate New York!)

Thich Nhat Hahn said once, that what we do with the pace of our lives is “print sorrow and anxiety on the earth.” What a profound thought. How I walk through my life says a lot about the affect I have on the situations around me.

In so many aspects of our lives, we can make choices for slower movement (the kind of movement that allows you to truly see and hear what is happening around you: perhaps the door that you have been waiting for, or the message that inspires you to take another step forward.) But, as we run…it becomes challenging to notice these gifts of God.

But, what happens when the responsibilities of my life require me to move briskly? What if the reality of where I am in my life, summons me to move about quickly to attend to the very real needs of my day?

In these moments, I can focus my attention on the pace of my words. We have become so comfortable with our words, saying things, I think, without even giving it a second thought. We talk so quickly, our e-mails are coded to be quickly deciphered, and our advice to ourselves or others is quickly dispersed, so that we can get onto the next moment.

But, slow down!

Think for a minute about what your words say about you, the life you live and what you believe to be of value in the world. Ask yourself: Do my words represent me well? Does my tone create an underscore of peace and gentleness in my life? Do I react to situations in my life so quickly that my words take on a life outside of “who I am”?

I try to teach my children that their words have value, both in what the say and how they say it. In just a moment when words are spoken sincerely and peacefully, a person can be transformed. It’s a powerful tool in our lives that I think we so often overlook.

So speak, peacefully, generously, joyfully, and sincerely! Your words have important work to do today; Enjoy!

Until next time, we take a sacred pause…

Choosing Peace!

{image from Ms Ladyred's flickr site}

There is so much anxiety in the world today! I just returned from sharing with a group of women, who gather monthly at a local retreat house. Our discussion surrounded how much anxiety fills the air around us these days.

A friend of mine once expressed to me her great worries. She had prepared for so many possibilities, but still worried about all the other things that might happen. She worried about her children, her spouse, her job, and the list went on and on. In many ways, her anxiety paralyzed her.

I told her this story…

When my husband and I were first married, we had season tickets to a local AHL hockey team. I used to be very nervous driving into these games, because of the ever-changing winter weather in Central New York.

Prior to games, I would try to gather information about the weather and plan the safest route, time to leave, etc. One night we went into a game and settled into our seats. My husband watched the players intently, wondering who might rise up as a big star that night. I, on the other hand, contemplated what kind of snack I might have that night (I think you can tell who drove our interest in hockey.)

Well, as the game progressed I suddenly noticed that there were a lot of people looking our way, and in the next second I felt the worst pain I had ever experienced (these of course were years prior to giving birth). The cause of this arena attention and intense pain: I had been hit in the jaw with a hockey puck. The medical team swooped in to care for my injury. My husband consistently apologized for not catching the puck!

The point…We can plan for every scenario in the world, and then – we get hit in the face with a hockey puck! Or, in other words, the thing we couldn’t ever imagine happens.

When we feel anxious, we have to starve our anxiousness with uplifting experiences. If you know that a certain person, situation or experience will promote your anxiety, then choose the opposite. Next, ask yourself this, “what is the reality of my anxiety?”

So often, what we feel anxious about is not a reality – it is a possibility. In these moments, we need to “Let Go and Let God!” An easier thing to say than do, I know. But, the more we practice this, the more we starve the unnecessary anxiousness that can line our paths, and prepare ourselves to choose peace!

Until next time, we take a sacred (peaceful) pause…