Balancing Act

Autumn collage by Christine Valters Paintner*

"When we rush from one thing to another, we skim over the surface of life, losing that sacred attentiveness that brings forth revelations in the most ordinary of moments." (C. V. Paintner)*

Rushing from one thing to another can throw us off balance, causing us to stumble, rather than move gracefully through our days. But don't we all know how that feels? Hurrying through the day, trying to get everything done, often multiple things at once? It becomes such a familiar way to move through each day. We might even feel reassured that we're being responsible, doing important things. Only when we stumble, or when something breaks (including our own bodies) do we begin to question all this rushing. Sometimes there is no choice in the rushing, but often there is.

How do you wish to move through each day? What might help to bring more balance into your life? Paintner encourages us to pay sacred attention to all the ordinary moments in our days.

Henry David Thoreau writes, "Our life is frittered away by detail... let our affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand... simplify, simplify!"

Recently I changed the format of my daily to-do lists. Instead of my usual 10-12 must-do items each day, I began to limit my to-do list to 3 items (not including my regular self-care and home care). This can be a challenge some days - to identify the top three things that matter most to me and my family, but it can also be an important spiritual practice of discernment. Once I have created that more simplified to-do list, I feel greater ease and balance. And I actually have hope of completing my list! :

Each morning my husband walks outside, holds his arms up and open wide, saying: "This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." The words of this amazing call to gratitude and presence have become so familiar to me, though, that I can often hear them without really paying attention.

But today I paid attention -- and listened to each phrase my husband repeated and it's invitation to me:

This is the day - this day be present -- not present to tomorrow or yesterday. This is the day!

that the Lord has made - We do not create our own days. We receive one day at a time, with each rising sun. Each day is grace - a gift of God.

let us rejoice and be glad in it - these words remind me that we are being called to experience joy and gladness in God's creation. It seems a very natural response of our whole selves -- body, mind and spirit. Even in the unavoidable darker days, may we be open to moments of joy and light.

When I give a gift to one of my grandchildren and then see him/her love and enjoy it, I am also filled with joy. I wonder -- could God feel that way when I experience joy in creation, or when I open my heart to some ordinary, but holy moment in my busy day?

In the collage above, each square contains an ordinary autumn image which might seem small and insignificant. But when we bring our "sacred attentiveness" to each of them, they can become revelations of the Holy. And in the process of noticing, we also become part of that divine revelation.

This fall, let us move through our days a little less rushed, and more attentive to whatever arises along the way. You might discover one special image and carry it with you as both symbol and reminder of your desire for sacred attentiveness. I like to create an autumn "wonder table" and place leaves, pinecones, seeds etc. into a basket, and add to it throughout fall. Or perhaps you'd like to create your own collage of "ordinary" images like above - taken with your camera or images cut out of magazines. However you feel drawn to bring sacred attentiveness to your days this fall, please feel free to share in the comments section.

Happy October dear friends! Let us rejoice and be glad!!

*please visit Christine Valters Paintner's website for more resources: abbeyofthearts.org.