Meandering Toward the Center

"The practice of soulful travel is to discover the overlapping point between history and everyday life, the way to find the essence of every place, ever day: in the markets, small chapels, out of the way parks, craft shops." Phil Cousieau

When a tree is cut down and the stump is left what do we see? If we look carefully we see a story, a story of the many years that have gone past. We see the beautiful growing and expanding that has happened. We also see the holes and the crevices that show places of distress.

Science tells us that if we count the rings of the stump we will know how old the tree is. The colors change from light to dark and back again. The surface is not level.

What do we find when we travel to the center of who we are? Where do the rings that make up our years lead us? As I get older I realize that it is really only with all the different experiences that I have had that I am able to be the woman I am today. It is only when I look at the whole of the journey to this point that I can see where I really am.

In my minds eye I can see myself sitting on a staircase in the place I lived in college. I can see a very young, scared and lost girl. I can see someone looking outside to anything that might help her find a way, help her find peace, confidence, safety. I look at that young woman with compassion today. She could not have begun to imagine the many miles she was to travel. A life of meaning and purpose felt beyond her reach. When we are merely in survival mode we cannot look at the colors in the trees, we cannot hear the music in the world around us. When we are merely trying to survive we hold our breath, we wait and hope. When we are in those places it is hard to feel God, it is hard to trust that there will be a better day.

When we reflect on how our history informs our lives today, what do we see? I see God weaving it's threads of Grace everywhere. As many of you know I am a knitter. I love the feel of the yarn in my hands. It is fun to play with color and patterns. I love the feel of wearing something that I made. This is yet another place that when I reflect on how our history informs our lives today, I am reminded how blessed I am. My mother was a masterful knitter. I worn the sweaters she knit me from the time I was very small. They were warm and beautiful. She would let me pick out the colors and the patterns. It was fun, it was comforting, it was a feeling of being very loved.

Take time today to look back over your life. Where do you see God weaving grace like threads in a well loved sweater? As you look at the rings in the stump of a tree, what do you think of? Where have you traveled? Where have you really been?

"Inspired by a fifth-century conversation between Zi Zhang ad Confucius about the practices of wise rulers in The Analects, here are five excellent practices for travelers on sacred journeys:

Practice the arts of attention and listening.
Practice renewing yourself every day
Practice meandering toward the center of every day.
Practice the ritual of reading sacred texts.
Practice gratitude and praise-singing. "
Phil Cousineau





Gracious God, Thank you for the journey that we are on today.

Thank you for the grace to look back at the lives that we have lived and see your hand in it.

Thank you for today. Thank you for the sun and the warm earth. Thank you for the learning and blessings that are open to us.

Gracious God help us to be present in this day. Help us to go deep on the journey of faith. Help us to continue to come to know you and see you more profoundly in our lives.

Amen.