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Can You See the Difference?
Can You See the Difference? –
I spent most of the late morning and afternoon doing what I’ve been doing every Friday for the past month and a half; raking leaves. The giant Oak tree, the giver of these leaves week after week is almost bare and there shouldn’t be too many more days spent doing this chore.
When raking each week there an interesting thing which happens to my vision. The leaves cover most of the ground when I begin and when I’ve gathered as many as I can it looks like I’ve collected most of the leaves from the ground. However, when I finish and look over the whole yard there seems more leaves missed than when I looked before. It can be discouraging, to still see the leaves, but when I remember the number of leaves I started with I am satisfied with the progress.
In the same way; wisdom tells us to be careful judging people by what we see. We do not know the battles they have faced, the hard victories won, the devastating defeats. The progress made could be miraculous and we insult the work done and the accomplishments achieved when we judge folks at first sight.
blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannebsaint.com
Under Control
Under Control –
Last week I wrote about raking leaves and how this ongoing chore is a part of the changing of the seasons; “Leaving Tomorrow Be“ (https://thewannabesaint.com/2016/10/29/leaving-tomorrow-be/).
Today I was at it again. Same sections of the yard, same rake, same music playing in my ear buds, the same piles, except different, albeit still brown, leaves. Again, similar to last week, the wind was blowing so even as I raked more leaves were falling on the ground. Still, it was therapeutic; raking and burning.
While doing the chore I thought about my week. Lots of internal changes have been occurring at work. Changes which cannot be avoided and are necessary for our team to continue helping the families and communities we serve. However, as noted by me many times on this blog before, I don’t like change. My severe anxiety disorder goes into hyperdrive when multiple changes occur in a short amount of time. My preference is rhythm, order, a familiarity, which helps bring balance to my life and peace to my mind.
As I raked the leaves today and watched more fall in their place, I was reminded that life is never controllable, never truly ordered, not actually familiar, we simply fool ourselves into thinking there is rhythm. We like to think we’ll get everything organized and under control only to stand powerlessly by as the wind blows, dropping more leaves on a briefly clean yard; a symbol that nothing in the life is ever settled, predictable and under our control.
blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com
Leaving Tomorrow Be
Leaving Tomorrow Be –
Yesterday I spent most of the mid-morning and early afternoon raking leaves. It was a nice day, almost 80 degrees and the job was pleasant enough and kept my mind from racing as it so often does. After raking for a while I noticed that as soon as I raked a leaf another would fall in its place. I looked up and saw the trees were more than two-thirds full which meant I would be doing this again, and again, in the near and distant future.
There was a part of me that questioned the validity of raking leaves when there would be more tomorrow but I know if I don’t take care of the ones I can today, tomorrow may be too much to handle. So, I raked, front, sides, back and when I finished, sure enough, leaves were already covering parts of the yard. I, however, took heart at a job well done and accepted the truth of repeating the chore.
Wisdom tells us that we are not to worry about tomorrow because today has enough worries of its own. Leaves will keep falling until the trees are almost bare. I will keep raking until the yard doesn’t need it any longer. I have learned the lesson of doing in the present what can be done and letting go of what may happen tomorrow. When tomorrow does turn in today I will again do my best and that will be enough.
blessings,
@BrianLoging (Twitter)
thewannabesaint.com