Friday, September 18
But take care and watch yourselves closely.
—Deuteronomy 4:9a
We can come to the end of a day and not even be able to remember, other than in very general terms, what we did during the day that has just past. We are so busy living life that we just live life.
St. Benedict offers the wise counsel to observe every hour the actions of our lives. Lest we think this is obsessive-compulsive advice from an out-of-touch fanatic monk, it’s important to remember that the gift of life is ours for a limited number of years and we could find ourselves at the end of that life feeling a gaping hole inside,simply because we exercised so little awareness.
The idea of observing at every hour the actions of our lives is nothing more than practicing mindful awareness so that our lives are truly and fully lived. Such a practice keeps our soul steady. Instead of feeling the magnetic pull of the next person’s agenda or an unexpected personal desire or a new and attractive opportunity, we find clarity and focus.
That niggling and trendy concept of multi-tasking bites the dust,leaving open spaces free for exploration. The endless volley of mind-thought comes to a standstill. We see our soul expanding into the pulsing heart of God and our lives become as interesting as a kaleidoscope turned towards the sun.
Gracious God, bring my mind to the one still point where my life can truly be experienced as it unfolds.
