onthly MeditationMeditation for September 2007
The birds are quiet now; there is no more singing to establish their nesting territory, no more singing to attract a mate. That is all behind them and they are now quietly and diligently feeding in order to build up their strength for the long journey south or, in the case of those who winter here, for the long season of snow and cold ahead. And we, humans, are sad; we miss the early morning flute-like wake-up call and the late night prolonged lullaby.
The birds are satisfied with the work accomplished over the spring and summer seasons—the nest building, the egg laying and hatching, the nurturing and fledging of their brood. There are no regrets—they have done their best, done what was required of them, and they are satisfied as they prepare in quietness for their next responsibility. We, who waited through the long winter anticipating the birds’ return to our lands, are sad to see them go, knowing that a winter hunkering down time is once again approaching.
We need to take an example from the birds by going through our lives moment by moment, day by day, season by season—doing what is required of us with no regrets, knowing that we have done our best and will wait in quietness for our next responsibility given to us by God.
We know that God is always with us, that God indwells us, and a daily time of quietness and silence helps us to focus on that knowledge bringing it more closely to our attention. Through the day it may be difficult to hear God’s voice in the midst of all the happenings around us but, in this quiet time, we grow more open to hearing God’s voice and our ability to see and hear the Divine in our surroundings throughout the day grows.
We begin to see the Sacred all around us and we learn to say, Beautiful is this flower, beautiful too God’s presence in my soul. Beautiful is this rainbow, beautiful too God’s love for me. We begin to give thanks to God for little joys; perhaps, we begin to write a Gratitude Journal, live a Gratitude Life. As we grow in this Gratitude Life, Gratitude Journey, we begin to be thankful, not only for joys and beautiful things, but also for sorrows and things we may consider ugly.
Practice makes this come about and it begins by practising it each morning, by journaling our life and seeing God’s purpose in all that happens to us. In quietness and silence we come to be aware of God’s purpose in everything; we are nurtured and grow in spiritual maturity and gratitude for God’s love; we prepare our souls for our next responsibility in the Spirit.
© Judith Lawrence, September 2007
Meditations in the Archive
