Make the World Come Alive

“There must be always remaining in every life, some place for the singing of angels, some place for that which in itself is breathlessly beautiful.” ~ Howard Thurman

Howard Thurman was the grandson of a plantation slave in Madison County, Florida.  Profoundly influenced by his grandmother, he made it his life’s mission to teach about the inseparable connection each of us has with God. He found reasons to seek out more than common-ground; rather, he revealed the incredible beauty which is the essence of everyone.  This truth is elusive nowadays.  We seem to be fixated on finding differences and darknesses in those who are different.  Such divisions lead us to picking sides, creating misunderstandings, fostering hatred, and being violent.

There is a weariness that hangs heavy over us.  Tired of the mean language, name-calling, character assassination and loss of civility, we long for relief from it all.  The only force which will restore Thurman’s vision of beauty is the effort that you are willing to give and the vitriol you are willing to abandon. God is present by our side, ahead, behind, above, below and inside. Take a good look. And then listen to the angels sing.

The Fruits of Our Labor

“I want it said of me by those who knew me best, that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

As we celebrate Labor Day and the ‘unofficial-last-day-of-summer’ it seems quite worthwhile to think about the work of life as described by President Lincoln. The first step in such work is to remove obstacles.  Things are never as complicated as we thought after the underbrush is cleared away and the contour of the land is exposed.  There are places good for growth and places where nothing much can take root.  We are not using our time and energy very wisely when we hammer away at an area that is barren and dark.  Backbreaking labor over the rocky ground will yield little or no future harvest.  It is better to identify the fertile spots that reveal themselves, pull the weeds that might choke out our flowers and get busy planting.

Lincoln teaches us that our lives are much like the prairie he worked as a boy and young man.  We have the best opportunity to flourish if we are willing to clear out the underbrush.  All that is required is a deep appreciation of the great gift of life.  The vision of a landscape planted and nurtured with attention to detail and recognition of fertile places mixed right along with rocky places can be magnificent to behold.  We don’t have to force life to fit into our plan.  It will usually reject those kinds of efforts anyway.  When we concentrate on cooperation and the value of our interconnectedness with all things the result will be appreciated for generations to come.  We will be remembered as people who left things better than we found them.

"Today I will celebrate the fruit of my labor and never cease working where there is a possibility of new growth."