An Invitation
During a conversation this summer, a friend promised to send me a follow up email. Included in that email was an invitation to join a weekly Mindfulness class on Zoom. I accepted that invitation, without knowing what Mindfulness is. I learned meditation in the 1970s. They both sound similar and start with the letter "M." I thought to myself, this will be a quick 10 minute meditation type activity and then I will get on with my day. Somewhere during the opening introduction I realized, this wasn't 10 minutes and how am I going to be quiet and silent for longer than that. I am a doer and mover. I have lists of lists with things to do. What is sitting being mindful going to do for me?
I sat there, outdoors in a favorite spot near the waterfall, with the sun shining, on an August Friday morning, zooming in with the community,
listening intently to the Guide.
I waited to become restless, even as I welcomed the quiet, sitting in the sun soaking in all of it, emptying my mind and entering the moment. The hour ended, I had done it! It was uplifting, relaxing, and I wanted to do nothing for the rest of the day - except to be in the moment.
Isn't that what we should do all the time? We have been taught to be moving onto the next thing as fast and efficiently as possible. Get 'R Done. Keep going, moving, making lists, being productive.
But it is in the silence where we quiet ourselves and can hear what work we are to do. It is in the quiet we are present to know God.
Kate Bower, TSC Director
