Look for the Mystery
“I
realized it for the first time in my life: There is nothing but
mystery in the world, how it hides behind the fabric of our poor,
browbeat days, shining brightly, and we don't even know it.”
Sue
Monk Kid (The Secret Life of Bees)
The
leaves are finally turning fall colors here in the Deep South. It's
almost December, and the maple tree outside my kitchen window is now
going from green to gold. When I drive over the “mountain” to the
post office, the sun shines through reds and oranges, lighting up the
world in a whole new way. I can live my life marveling at these small
miracles, or I can live it inside my head gnawing away at the state
of the world and all the failures of humanity.
I
heard the other day that there's a gun range south of town in which
the targets are in the shape of humans wearing turbans and hoodies. I
can arm myself, learn how to shoot a pistol, or better yet, an
automatic weapon, and live in fear of an invasion and massive chaos.
I can set up a bunker, assemble an arsenal, and spend my one precious
life waiting for the end times. Or I can watch the people, black and
white, in my neighborhood who walk their dogs and talk with one
another as they go. I can chat with the black man at the bank about
his plan to cook Thanksgiving dinner at the Jimmy Hale Mission. We
can share our favorite recipes.
How
I see the world and its people is entirely up to me. How I choose to
live in that same world is up to me as well. I can choose fear or I
can choose love. I can peep behind the fabric of my “poor, browbeat
days” and catch glimpses of the mystery shining through, or I can
live in the dark night of bigotry and hatred. Everyday that I wake up
and place my feet on the floor, I have the choice of what that day
will look like to me no matter what happens in the next twenty-four
hours. I choose love. You can too.
Here's
the affirmation: “Today, I will look for the mystery hidden in
plain sight.”
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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