Tuesday, March 2, 2010


I have been away for a while. No, not geographically relocated, but just "away" in my thinking and living. Lots of things have been happening with which I will not bore you. If I allow myself, I start feeling bad about not being disciplined enough to "do my blog every week." No reason, though, for excuses. I have just been giving my time and attention to other matters. But the Christmas hymn, "I wonder as I wander", comes to mind as I reflect back on the past weeks. I have spent some time wondering....and, yes, trying to sharpen up my openness to that sense of wonder.

I read recently that a good number of folk are probably in short supply on a sense of awe and humility. In a world of deadlines, meetings, increasing responsibilities, and a general overall sense of busyness, it is easy to lose that known, but somewhat indescribable, aura we speak of as awe. But now and then it just seems to happen. The beauty of a snowfall heavily blanketing the earth, the splendor of a full moon on a cloudless night, the surge in my chest following a choral or instrumental presentation, and, most recently, the gaze into the face of my month-old granddaughter as I rock her in the early morning hours. These are moments that might be described as awe-ful.....whereby we are filled to overflowing with a sense of awe. Breathing slows, little else matters for the moment, and a sense of being carried along enevelops us.

A effort at humility might be the necessary preparation for awe. But humility is something of which I know very little. I seldom, if ever, preach on it. It is almost a foreign notion. After all, I have places to go, people to see, thoughts to think, and work to do. But even as I express that, I realize that such is the problem. Humility too is a discipline I do not apply. To even think about trying to be humble is probably an act of arrogance. Better if I slow down, let go of some opinions that are just one among zillions of others, take pause, and wait. Learning to listen more and speaking less might help. Counting my blessings regularly surely wouldn't hurt. Looking for a way to help another might focus my life a bit more clearly. I should explore the possibility, rather then miss the awe.

Happy Trails.....as you wander and wonder!

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