Instrument
of Grace
“Everything
that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back
into the slow circle of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument
of grace.”
May
Sarton
Yesterday,
I heard a commercial for a “3-D” phone. One that can give you
three things at a time that then disappear, so you can have the
illusion that you're actually doing more. The main message of the
commercial was that this would be a great time saver. I honestly
think that some of us would now opt to have an app tattooed directly
on our brains, so that we could main-line whatever addictive
substance our phones provide. Did you know that there is actually a
difference between being busy and being fruitful. Our phones are
mostly a distraction from the real life that is flowing by.
Life
does not move in linear fashion—much less in technological 3-D.
Life moves in circles and spirals and meandering paths. We need the
very things that slow us down to be able to absorb all that surrounds
us. Real life, as opposed to technological life, is rich with nuance,
and depth. It requires our full attention. For human beings, our
technology has outstripped our common sense. It is a new addiction
that is all consuming in exactly the same way as heroin.
In
the midst of this not-so-brave new world, let us spend just a minute
thinking about Spring. It's time to order seeds, get the cold-frame
ready to accept peat pots. Just yesterday, I saw tiny leaves peering
out of the snowball shrub beside the porch. The earth turns in slow
circles, the seasons come and go, round and round, and we, too, move in concentric
circles that, hopefully, connect to one another. Whatever slows us
down so that we can be fully present in each moment is an instrument
of grace.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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