Taking Myself Lightly

Theme for January: Abundance

Saturday, January 9, 2021

When I recall hearing someone say that angels can fly because they take themselves lightly, it always sounds like excellent advice for me. I’m not interested in flying, but I would like to shed some of the seriousness that occasionally weighs me down. I sometimes walk around like I have loads of responsibilities on my shoulders – like I’m some special superman who has serious tasks to perform, tasks that simply must be done by me alone. On those days, I take myself way too seriously. Unlike angels, I’m weighed down by a dreamed-up sense of my own importance. On those days, flying is out, and self-absorbed slogging is in. On other days, lucky for me, I get loose from this seriousness and see myself for what I am – just a small twirl in the everlasting dance of a bighearted universe. My silly self-importance disappears like a small star in the vastness of dawn. I feel light on those days – light and free and ready to relax with life instead of wrestle with it. 

 
 
IN EASE
Ease, LA, USA
 
In Ease, Louisiana, residents love 
the luxury of relaxation. 
Most of them are poor, 
but they have the generous possessions 
that peace of mind brings, 
like the bursting abundance 
of simple satisfaction. 
The people feel like 
they live on a bed of roses, 
where even sorrows can be encircled 
and studied and learned from. 
Work in Ease
is done in a serious but leisurely way, 
so that steadfastness and amusement 
are sisters, 
and labor is just another form 
of fun and games. 
There’s restfulness in Ease 
even in setbacks, since losing 
can bring the security of fresh wisdom. 
Visitors see slight smiles 
even on sad faces, 
as though storms 
can somehow produce clearer light.   
 
 

We took another sunrise walk along the river this morning, and were blessed with these displays of the rising sun …

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… and, these lovely patterns of ice along the shore.