thinky thoughts

Retreat Reflection

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At the beginning of the month, I went on a retreat. At the time, I didn’t know that I’d be having surgery a little more than a week later, and I was in blissful ignorance that my tendon was simply pulled and needed some extra care and a walking boot. I was wrong. That will be a post for tomorrow. Today is to walk through the weekend that was a journey of self-discovery through the concept of Original Goodness.

It was wonderful.

I discovered a morning prayer that I’ve tried to pray and contemplate on most mornings. I have also gone to sleep using breath work: breathe in “acceptance;” breathe out “surrender.” It has a calming effect on my bedtime ritual.

The journaling exercises were really thought provoking and I did some artwork as well.

I enjoyed the company, and it made me look forward to my next retreat in a few weeks with my writing group.

I created a map that began with “rest” and continued through other thoughts like “be,” “create,” and “let it go” among other gems tossed out to think about.

That weekend has stayed with me, and will continue to stay with me as I go back and re-read what I journaled and the notes I took, and perhaps lead me in a new direction or even in the same direction with possibly new focus, determination, and motivation.

Take this weekend and use the time for your own journey of self-discovery. Take the notes, smell the flowers, write the words, sketch the doodles.

Be at peace.

DAY 5 OF GISHWHES

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Well, we are currently passed the halfway mark for this week of crazy.

On Tuesday, I told someone to have a nice weekend. Time has become irrelevant.

There are 156 items to complete.

So far, I have completed seven out of eleven tasks that I’ve volunteered for, although one of those is a team task/item.

Tomorrow, I should be able to complete two more, and start on my last item, which is a letter to a soldier in the Middle East. This last task/item is being coordinated through Random Acts, so I would encourage all of you to go over there and read about a soldier and his family and how to change a life. Help if you can. You might like to click through to some of their other activities that are looking for assistance at the moment.

 

There are several Guinness Book World Records attempting to be broken during this year’s GISHWHES. One is the largest online photojournal of hugs. Another is a gathering at this moment in a park in Vancouver (unfortunately our team couldn’t get anyone up there to participate). Participating in the scavenger hunt itself is part of a world record that they hold and are hoping to break this year, not to mention the amount of random acts of kindness pledges.

For many, there are small groups working together, but for me, I’m doing most of the tasks alone, recruiting my family to do crazy things like getting my kids dress up like postal workers, pay homage to shrines and for me, wear sock monkey apparel. There are twitter alarm clocks that spent one day making Star Trek’s William Shatner a little nutty and very, very snarky.

I am enjoying every minute of it and hope to do even more next year. I was worried about not knowing anyone on my team except for one person I’ve met online, but it’s been good. We’ve been communicating through Facebook, and it seems as though we’ve each taken on what we do best. No one’s fought over wanting the same item to do, and it is a good practice for real world things like doing things we might not normally volunteer for, working as a team, coping with social anxiety, using various media and so many other valuable things that I can’t possibly think of in the middle of it.

We’re cheering for other teams and helping where we can. I agreed to let my son give blood for his team because he needed a parent’s permission. The greater good is more important than the competition. I would encourage everyone to visit GISHWHES and see the video for last year’s hunt.

It’s exciting to be part of something so large, but also done on such a small group scale and it is that paradox (and half a dozen others) that make what seems like a crazy idea into a world-changing, world-building, individual-changing, individual-building adventure, and I look forward to being able to think straight again and share it all with you!

 

Crosses

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I bought my first religious ornament this past Christmas.

Mother and Child.

It doesn’t say or imply Mary and Jesus, but really? A Christmas ornament called Mother and Child? It’s not even trying to be subtle.
I wanted it for that reason and because being a mother (a Mommy) is so much of my identity.
It’s not always in the same order or in order of priority but it is always

Mother
Friend
Writer.

Not sure which order, in fact, the order changes importance on a daily basis, so really it’s all the permutations. They’re all important, and on some days, one comes before the other two.
And then they trade places.

I also started wearing a cross on my charm bracelet. I’ve never worn a cross before. I know a lot of people do, even in a non-religious way. They appear on a lot of clothes and accessories, journals, posters, etc. They’re everywhere, but I’ve always felt uncomfortable wearing them.

Once I made the decision to be baptized (in another year or so), I kind of started looking for a cross, not intending to wear it though; just thinking about it.

I’ve always loved Celtic crosses, but avoided them. I do have Celtic jewelry, but never any crosses.

When I was looking for a rosary for a friend of mine at Christmas, I was trying to find something for him that I would have liked. I dismissed this as one of those gifts you get for someone else, but hope they have so they give it back and you can keep it. 😉

(Seriously, don’t give it back.)

I did get that out of my head. It was really only in passing anyway. At the time, I wasn’t interested in getting myself a cross or any kind of religious jewelry.

While I was looking for charms for my daughter, however, I did look for crosses. Most of the ones I found were a bit much: large, heavy metal, very black, skulls, not quite my style.

Not until I found this one. The four ends look like a triquetra and they’re all wound and braided together from one piece forming a very simple, very lovely, Celtic looking cross.

It blends my new Catholicism with the Celts of old-the Cistercians I enjoyed reading so much about during the time of Llywelyn Fawr. He was a generous patron of those White Monks of his time.

I will probably get another after I’m baptized, or ask someone to get me a special one, but for now I have this reminder of what is still to come in this new year and beyond.

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