Dearest Community,
Have you ever put your phone in the fridge and tried to put the gallon of milk back on the phone cradle? I don’t recall doing that, but I have done similar things with other objects. My mind is on something else. I’m tired. Maybe I’m distracted. I seem to recall this sort of thing happening on a more regular basis when the kids were little. (You young parents out there, it does get better.)
Recently, I remembered a comment my spiritual director, Sister Judith, made to me years ago. “It’s OK to put down the tool in your hand. You can always pick it up again if you need it.” Of course, we weren’t really talking about physical tools, but what we might be carrying spiritually or emotionally. I vaguely remember chuckling together at the image of trying to change a lightbulb while holding a hammer in one hand and a chisel in the other. (And, yes, this was during the era when our kids were young.)
Profound advice for us all isn’t it?
Of course, it takes some self-awareness. What are the things that I’m carrying around? Do I really want (or need) to pick them up again?
When you enter a time of prayer, if something is distracting you (maybe a reminder that you need to make that phone call or send an email) remembering that you can put the tool down to pick up again later might just be the ticket to refocusing yourself.
In the meantime, if you are still looking for your phone, have you tried looking in the fridge?
Blessings,
______(\____________/)______
The art for the thumbnail and this post is from Rev. Joel’s Instagram feed: Rev.Joel’s_art. Feel free to give the feed a like and a follow.
If you’d like to see the go-to art supplies Rev. Joel is using as he started his second sketchbook of 2021, check this link: Current Art Supplies (7 Aug 2021).
If you’d like to see what Rev. Joel started the year using for art supplies, check this link Collection of Art Supplies at the Beginning of the Year (2021).
Thank you for following along and the support.