Rushing Headlong, Holy Moments
WORD FOR THE DAY
Something precious is lost if we rush headlong into the details of life without pausing for a moment to pay homage to the mystery of life and the gift of another day.
KENT NERBURN
Sometimes the “Word for the Day” from A Network for Grateful Living (linked above) just begs to be written about. This recent quote qualifies. Rushing headlong. Been there. Done that. For decades. Both in my thinking and my physical activity. The Energizer Bunny has nothing on me. You miss a lot when always overthinking and overdoing. Even though I got a lot done, plenty of it good material and stuff worth doing, I also paid a heavy price in denial and perfectionism.
Pausing for a moment to pay homage is exactly what living gratefully is meant to be. Respect. Reverence. Giving honor. To the fresh air as we walk out the front door of our homes. To the blood and oxygen that circulate in our bodies. To the farmers who help bring the coffee, bananas, and eggs to our breakfast tables. To the mystery and matter of atoms and molecules.
We take better care of what we notice and love. We listen better when we see one another as fellow humans on a similar path. Living gratefully creates a healthier perception and generates energy and hope, even in difficult circumstances. We lose fewer precious moments when we slow down enough to tune in.
I also appreciated reading more about Kent Nerburn, with whom I wasn’t familiar. He is an author and a native Minnesotan. His works are about spirituality, Nature, and bridging the gap between Native and non-Native cultures. These words from his website begged to be added to this discussion: “And remember that we do not all live holy lives, but we all live in a world alive with holy moments.”
Holy moments. I don’t know that I have heard those two words together before. My interpretation: It doesn’t matter what religious affiliation one has, or if one has none. Holy moments are here and available to all. None are denied, except by self. And that is what I was doing with all that overthinking and overdoing. Slow down for a holy moment or two. It matters.
