Tag: postaday

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Post A Day: Back to Life

Today’s interesting challenge poses the question: what’s the one thing you do to feel human again?

The preface establishes scenarios — a long flight, a grueling week. The suggestion that something has worn us out physically. The answer is rather dull: I take a nice hot shower. It feels good to be clean — to feel the grime washed away. There’s something to be said for the sensual pleasure of hot water flowing over me.

Nevertheless, I’d rather focus on the depth of the question: what makes me feel human? And perhaps of more interest, what could possibly have the effect of zapping my humanity?

I feel least human when I refuse to acknowledge the humanity of others. I can spend my day never making eye contact, never listening with my heart, never getting emotionally invested in the events happening right next to me.

I have become an expert in disassociating myself from the feelings of those around me. The sad part of that is that I lose a piece of my humanity along the way.

I have to allow myself to feel to get it back. I need to love. I need to love, not just those who love me back, but those who are difficult to love, too. The demanding family member. The obnoxious neighbor. The uncooperative colleague.

I need to learn to love like God loves.

And I need to allow myself to cry, whether it’s in grief or gratitude, joy or anger, appreciation or frustration. It’s an amazing catharsis to cry – to express through tears a multitude of emotions.

What could be more human than that?

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Threshold

20140411-121359.jpgThis is Otis. He’s a noble puppy. Obedient. Gentle, unless he feels the immediate need to jump on you and lick you to death.

I exiled him to the office so I could clean in the kitchen, but he wanted so badly to be with me, and obey the command to stay in the office, that he tried to do a little of both. He figured he could stay and put his front paws past the threshold into the forbidden kitchen.

I feel like that these days. I’m quite comfortable where I am in my life. You could say I’m comfortable with the known.

Yet, the unknown beckons. It’s not about thinking the grass is greener elsewhere, but that I’m being called to do more. In my personal life, to finish a project that has consumed me for many years. Professionally, to take some risks and perhaps cast a wider net. Spiritually, to go deeper in my faith.

Like Otis, I’m taking some tentative steps, crossing the threshold into something new, not forbidden — on the contrary, designed just for me. I just need to stop looking around the corner and do it.

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Reflection

 

This week’s photo challenge intrigued me. I knew right away I wanted to do it, but time, and inspiration, and frankly, a picture, kept me waiting for the right moment.

reflectionI finally got it this afternoon. I live by a small lake, so the easy photo was to take a little walk down there and see what the water was reflecting. I love those kinds of pictures, but I took to heart the other part of the challenge, to see a little into my soul and wonder what it reflects.

If nothing else, the challenge had me pondering this throughout the week. I think we don’t ponder things enough. Our microwave-hurry-up-ding-fries-are-done mindset doesn’t make time for that essential need.

So I pondered. Reflected, if you will.

 

The picture above is a reflection of the top of a tree on a very small, thin puddle on my patio. I took the picture right side up, but the tree is reflected upside down. Like an old style photograph view finder.

Here’s the thing, I know it’s a tree, but it looks like a root system. I’ve been thinking about this all day. What is my root system? What is my foundation?

And is it reflected in my bearing?

 

 

 

 

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