Notimeforthespaces

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Today’s Blog Post

Notimeforthespaces

The Prayer is simple, “DearGodhelpmetoslowdownandnotrushthroughwhatIdoAmen.”

It is a 2011 Modern Prayer that fits well with what is happening in many lives around me.

For 35 years I have lived that prayer. In 2008 I started dropping the prayer life that came with that prayer. It took these past 2 years to adjust to the new norm – where that prayer is not needed any longer.

Yesterday I realized that when my wife sat in the not so busy world, drinking our coffee at the Mall’s Food Court, it was a good space. It was almost empty on that Tuesday afternoon. The Christmas Rush was over and every one was at home. We just enjoyed the quiet afternoon together.

I stated that it took 2 years to get to this realization. For 35 years of doing the Churchman’s Job, the Officiate in all things Religious, the Pomp and Pageant Centered Mindful Being of all things Holy Person – where if it wasn’t down just right I would feel like the ill at ease person… and if I didn’t feel that some one in the church would remind me of my place and the way that I should do it. In 2008 I started dropping that poise.

For 35 years of trying so hard to make it happen… I forgot that there should have been spaces in my life and sentences of life. “DearGodhelpmetoslowdownandnotrushthroughwhatIdoAmen.” Was a good prayer that fit perfectly.

Now in the newer slowdownermode… I am watching other folk around me buzz in stupid circles to get more things down in the same amount of time. Their day didn’t stretch any longer – they have just filled it with more… so there is not longer time for the spaces.

In “DearGodhelpmetoslowdownandnotrushthroughwhatIdoAmen.” I saved time of typing 13 s-p-a-c-e-s. If I did that for the whole paragraph and maybe even the whole post I would save a huge amount of time.

But no one would understand what I meant.. in fact maybe they wouldn’t even try to read it.

I
Need
To
Take
Time
And
I
Need
To
Put
More
Spaces
In
My
Life

Last week at the Funeral Visitation everyone rushed to get supper over with to get the Visitation. We all buzzed through the door at the same time to be able to sign the guest book, stand in line to meet the family members, shake hands, view the body, then stand and look at the photos of the dead man. I looked at my wife and then told her, “I think we better go… I have some things I need to get done tonight.” And then we hurried out of the Funeral Home.

The guy in the casket was no longer in a hurry. The rest of us were still buzzing about. We had stuff to rush to and things to do before we went to bed that night.

It was later as I sat doing the things that I had to do that I realized there had been no space in my life for the entire week. There had been no time for me to just sit and do nothing.

I laid my project down and took a deep breath. I pushed the Mute Button on the TV and all went silent in my garage. I listened to the Wind outside and the creaking of the old vent on the roof. It was a cold winter night and I soaked in the Space.

I remember long ago on my grandpa’s farm as a boy. We had come for a visit and to stay a few nights at the farm house. It was very cold outside and the frost had gathered on the window pain of the East Room. The moon was bright and the snow glistened. That bright image came through the small sections of glass where the frost had not yet covered the pane. Everything was still outside. Nothing moved at all.

As I walked out of the garage the other evening, the moon was full, the snow glistened and the night was frozen still. I took a deep breath and thanked God for Spaces.

This morning earlier I rose to begin another day that will likely be full of people. I am at the Mall again demonstrating Tatting. For six hours I will sit and Tat. People will stop to talk and many will come back from last week. They will be on their breaks from their busy day… and when they stop... they have space.

Last week one lady told me, “I would love to talk with you more but I have no time. I am so sorry. I have to rush.”

I took a deep breath and smiled at her. “I will be sitting here waiting each Wednesday. You are welcome to come back.”

The guy last week that was lying in the casket will never rush again.

This is my day… I have time for lots of spaces in my life. How about you?

~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/