In my corner of the world, we awoke to early morning rain a few days in a row; sometimes, these soft rainy days remind me to be still and refocus. There is a part of me that absolutely loves the rain…especially when it is a gentle rain, almost like a refreshing mist.
There is this cleansing quality to the rain, as if the world itself were being recharged. We all love sunny days, full of promise. But, on these softer, quieter days, we can pause and ponder our circumstances. It is in the quiet moments that we often come up with our best ideas. Like taking a slow walk where we really encounter the world around us, the fast-paced jog mentality slips away. We see things for what they really are; we see ourselves much more clearly also.
When we decide that we do not have to race and get there already, we see that the grass is ever so much greener than we remembered, the flowers boost a deeper bloom, and everything seems so much more alive.
A quiet hush comes upon our surroundings and upon us as well. In this ‘hush’ we get a fresh perspective on our lives. Do we really need to rush through our days and cover every inch of the way at reckless speed? Are there things we may miss as we jog with our eyes focused only on forward motion?
These days when we have spent our time at home with our families has been a ‘telling’ time. It has told us so much about the way we live our lives. I know that for myself, I see many things differently now. It is as if I had a brand-new lens to see the world, and it has taught me a lot.
It has certainly taught me much about ‘telling time’ in a brand new way. I understand more clearly now that our time on the earth is fleeting. The hour-glass is at a steady pour day in and day out. What we do with those hours matters.
I have always believed that we must live a life of passion; simply put, our lives should reflect our very souls. We must dance to the ‘beat’ of our own souls, surrendering the things that do not keep company with it. When we live in this way, we are true to who we are…we live by the creeds that matter to us, our days reflect the unique journey for which we were born…and no two journeys are alike.
In order to understand this ‘dance’ of our being, we need time to understand the steps, and we need practice. It is not someone else’s dance, and we are not performing for them. That is why people sometimes come to the end of their days and they are very sad. They spent their days performing for others; they did not follow the beat of their own hearts. In the end, they feel like they have wasted so much precious time. Their lives have passed by way too fast and they feel like they missed the whole thing.
We cannot stop the hourglass; it simply gets poured out day by day. But, as those fine granules of time spill out, we certainly can dance our own dance; we certainly can make a fresh start when need be.
The important thing is to listen to the music that is yours and yours alone. Make room in your life for that music. The truth is, one day the music will fade and your dancing days on this earth will be done. God has made this earth for you to enjoy and has given you this life for a reason. The dance steps really matter…this is a record of your days.
You know you have found the right music to live by when joy punctuates your hours. In no way does this mean that you are ‘happy’ all the time and have no problems. On the contrary, joy can be present in the worst of moments. It is simply that your heart has found a place to call ‘home’ and you honor that home above all else.
When we come to the hour when we cross from this life into heaven, may we know that all those granules of time were well spent. May the music continue as we leave this earth…songs of joy ringing in our ears as we depart, songs of joy we have been singing all of our days.
Psalm 98:1: “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.”
Proverbs 4:23: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Psalm 57:7 “My heart Oh God is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.”
Hi Linda. This reminded me of the scripture where we are told to “be still and know”. His “still, small voice” can be heard more clearly in the scenes you’ve painted. God’s grip – Alan
Psalm 46:10:”Be still and know that I am God”, is one of my favorite verses. When we are ‘still’ and listen, God communicates so clearly to us. I hope you have a very good weekend rain or shine!
And to think that there will be a time when we are no longer bound by time & space, it boggles the mind!
🙂 🙂 🙂 You are right…it does boggle the mind! It is a wonderful thing to contemplate! Happy Memorial Day weekend!
I love what you said about there being a cleansing quality to the rain. I totally agree. I remember last Summer when the UK had a 2 week long heatwave of unbearable heat and then one day it started raining after like a month of no rain and it was so refreshing! x
The rain is refreshing! The quietude of the rain is what I like best. I do not like thunderstorms though, because we often lose power! 🙂
what a delightful logical thought process that totally resonates with my philosophy!
We must be kindred spirits then! 🙂 We are in the midst of a turbulent sea in these days…yet, as you have shown in the beautiful pictures of your country, God’s beautiful world exists. As we dance our dance, God serenades our footsteps. He wants us to be whole, not fragmented, because He loves us.
I enjoyed these quiets moments of reflection with your post as I have three days ahead of me to dance to whichever songs I please. I will dance like there’s nobody watching!
I am so happy to hear that! Yes, we must remain young at heart. I remember the beautiful poem you wrote about the pink roses by the seashore. We must contemplate all the good things God has given us; this difficult time will pass and those roses just keep on blooming through it all.
Thank you so much for remembering “Portland Head Autumnal,” Linda. It means a lot to me.
I did not remember the name, but it was such a beautiful poem. I must go back to your post and read it again! 🙂
Thank you, Linda. I do appreciate your telling me.
Thank you, Linda! Your words are a comfort at a time when comfort is so needed.
Turbulent times in our country and in the world! Praying!