What is Hidden?

"Many of us do not know our own story.  The story about who we are, not about what we have done.  What we have faced to build what we have built, what we have drawn upon and risked to do it, what we have felt, thought, feared, and discovered through the events of our lives.  What we have learned."  

Rachel Naomi Remen, MD.

At the base of those birch trees in the picture above is a bench.  Under the many inches of snow, is a granite bench that I see each time I head down this path.  The bench is almost hidden, as is the saying that is carved on in.  

"Let your Song be Sung" 

It is a beautiful winter day here in New Hampshire. It would be so easy to be  sick of the snow.  I am not saying, that I'm not, but on this day, it is really beautiful.  Growing up in New England makes a big difference I'm sure.  Bundling up and heading out to clear off the walk and wander through the new fallen snow is a ritual I claim from my childhood.  

Rachel Naomi Remen wrote a wonderful book, Kitchen Table Wisdom.  One of the many themes of her work is the telling of stories.  In years gone by, people would gather around tables, share food, and tell stories.  

Fryeburg, Maine is where I grew up.  Many of you may know Fryeburg as the home of the Fryeburg Fair.  But in addition to my memories of the fair, are memories of walking the many sidewalks with my mother.  As we walked she would tell me about her day, we would talk about mine.  It was quiet and peaceful.  

My mother was not a person that sat still easily.  She was brought up by a woman who always needed to be doing something productive.  Both women were wonderful cooks and each had their own ways of being creative and nurturing their families. They knit and loved the fiber arts and passed that on to me. I grew up as the oldest daughter and grand daughter in this family.  

My story is unique.  They would be baffled at many of the things that I find fun or creative.  Telling stories and writing in a blog or in an electronic Newsletter.  Taking pictures on a phone that is also a computer, and then uploading those pictures to Facebook.  I can hear them ask, "What is a blog?  Why would you do that?  How is that fun?"  

My story is the same.  I love to knit and create things with yarn and fabric.  Cooking is one of the things I love and it is one of the things that causes me to feel closer to my mother.  Her recipe for Shredded Wheat Bread is still a family favorite.  I find ways in my world to be creative and nurture my family.  The story continues through walks, recipes, and yes, typing.  

My story is both unique and very much the same.  What is your story?  What are things in your life today that you value that are threads of your past?  What are things in your life today that bring you joy that are uniquely yours? 

The story that each of us has is unique and special.  We grew up with others that influenced who we are today.  Some were brought up in the country, some the city.  What story would you tell at the kitchen table? 

Each of us has a story that continues to unfold.  We are living, breathing instruments of God's grace in the world.  We may not always feel that way.  We may not know how our lives could matter in the big picture, or certainly to God, but it does.  

What is your story?  Is there something hidden? 

"Let your song be sung."  

Stay warm and know that Spring is coming!