Coming to life! Do not conform to the pattern of this world, be transformed by the renewing or your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve for the self what divine will is … (paraphrase of divine wisdom literature – Romans 12:2)
Today I was sitting looking out at the beautiful day and noticed something interesting. As I noted the beautiful sunshine on the trees, houses, and grass around me, I saw all as green and refreshing. I knew the sun was in the sky where it was by the shadows and the angle. I noted the colours of the many trees. Dark greens, light greens, burgundy, and yellow. I see the sway in the trees as the gentle breeze moves them side to side. I hear the piano in the music I am playing and enjoy the steaming cup of coffee from the mug I chose. It is one of two mugs I have for coffee (yes, just two) and on it reads, “world’s best boss”. As I reflect on this statement, I smile, and I think of all the great staff I managed at the tea store where I worked before the pandemic. I can see their smiles and the joy they brought with them to work. I see the stress of school and their challenges that we talked about. I see the love we shared in my mind’s eye.
I look down at the blank, yet lined, pages of my writing journal and see the pens laying beside it. In these pens, is the ink that will flow onto the page scribing the words that I will release for you to read. These pens are the latest chosen randomly to be the tools of the morning, for this, particular, pondering. I wonder whether these pens have any anticipation of their value?
I wrap my arms around myself in the quiet of this Sunday morning, feeling the flannel of my morning jacket. The stars and the little owl faces peering back at me from the fabric. I feel the chill of the early morning air and I wrap my hands around the warm cup. As I do, I look out the window and my eyes fall upon the four little potted plants I have on the window sill. These plants are all the next generation, from a mother plant that was so dear to my mother who died in 2009, 11 years ago. That mother plant resides at my brother and sister-in-law’s home. I have life from it all over my home because one day while I was there, they sent me home with one cutting from that plant. From that one cutting I now have my own large mother plant and four baby plants and there is another baby plant in the window at my daughter’s home. I see in the one plant there is a dead leaf. It is still attached and yet it is dried and expired. I do not pull it off. I leave it there to be supported and cuddled by the surrounding leaves. Eventually it will fall and be welcomed by the dirt back to its earthly source. I remember caring for a woman who had a plant in her home that she had been given and it had lived with her for 75 years! She died. I wonder what happened to that plant?
I pick up my pen, and after randomly scrolling through a daily reflection booklet, I stop on the page randomly selected by my thumb and the verse my eyes fall on is the beginning of this week’s pondering. I begin to write, and the words flow onto this page and come to life!
This is the anniversary of my column. A year ago, this week I sent off my first submission. I created and it came to life in its own time and space and began its journey, seeded itself. I have been asked how I came to write this column and I truly have no definitive answer, so I just say, “it just came to life!” I did not conform to the pattern of this world, I simply trusted in what I was prompted to do. I have beat to my own drum, sometimes to my own demise and sometimes to perceived success. That said, whatever I have done there has always been life given to something and I trust it is what I am to be doing. I stumble, I fall, and I rise to the occasion, and I marvel at what comes to be through any efforts I put forth. All I know is I am not alone. Like the dead leaf among the live ones in the plant on the windowsill, I have support to stay connected to the root until it is time for me to return to the earth.
Life is there all around me for the living and how I live this life, is up to me. And it is up to you! Are you seeing the minute breath that moves the leaves of the tree or the tiny inch worm crawling on your book or seeing the river flowing endlessly for 100 years or the sun on the horizon coming into this day or going out of it? Are you expanding time by allowing everything to come to life or are you collapsing it through feelings of lack?
Today, I noticed something interesting like I do every day. I chose to see the interesting, the detail and the tiny parts of my life so when I feel small and insignificant, I simply remember I exist alongside of a plethora of details. May you see something interesting in your travels today and remember to break free of the patterns of the world to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Find something interesting in your day and, in turn, find your day to be interesting. Blessings and Joy!
** Sidenote: Here are two links to short videos that I took that might bring you into the moment. Often, I hotlink words and today I want to ask you to take a minute (they are both less than two minutes, raw footage and no talking!) and just realize what beauty there is in the details around us:
https://youtu.be/tlMWPE8s7L8 The InchWorm
https://youtu.be/PQxF7q5croI The River
Cynthia Breadner is a grief specialist and bereavement counsellor, a soul care worker and offers specialized care in Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy with
special attention as a cognitive behaviourial therapy practitioner and trauma incident resolution facilitator. She volunteers at hospice, works as a LTC chaplain
and is a death doula, assisting with end-of-life care for client and family. She is the mother part of the #DanCynAdventures duo and practices fitness, health and
wellness. She is available remotely by safe and secure video connections, if you
have any questions contact her today! [email protected] breakingstibah.com
