The Place of Sacred in Our Lives
BY LORI WALKERThe term SACRED is defined as ‘connecting to the Divine’ or ‘a feeling of strong respect or awe’.
What does SACRED mean to you?
- Is it a religious ceremony?
- Your relationship with the special people in your life?
- That first bud emerging from the earth on a sunny spring day?
- What are your examples?
Oprah Winfrey says 'You can find the sacred in the most ordinary things'.
WHAT IS SACRED?
Do you notice that when we are still and calm, the song of the blue jay beckons us to spend more time outdoors? When we are quiet, our freshly laundered sheets invite us to press our cheek into the warm softness. In the silence of the early morning, we watch with anticipation the gorgeous display of pinks and oranges as the sun rises to greet us. This is the amazement and awe we feel when we realize these everyday miracles are just waiting for us to discover. That is sacred!
The Sacred in Suffering
While it may be easier to connect with the Sacred when life is going our way, it is most profound and humbling when life presents difficulty. For the past few months our family has been supporting our father's cancer journey. The cancer and subsequent treatments have left him in immense physical pain and loss of mobility. He has always been our go-to fix-it guy and this situation is unfortunately unfixable. These days, he relies on us to bathe, feed, and move him into positions which grant some physical comfort, not exactly what one would consider awe inspiring or miraculous.
Do you notice that when we are still and calm, the song of the blue jay beckons us to spend more time outdoors? When we are quiet, our freshly laundered sheets invite us to press our cheek into the warm softness. In the silence of the early morning, we watch with anticipation the gorgeous display of pinks and oranges as the sun rises to greet us. This is the amazement and awe we feel when we realize these everyday miracles are just waiting for us to discover. That is sacred!
The Sacred in Suffering
While it may be easier to connect with the Sacred when life is going our way, it is most profound and humbling when life presents difficulty. For the past few months our family has been supporting our father's cancer journey. The cancer and subsequent treatments have left him in immense physical pain and loss of mobility. He has always been our go-to fix-it guy and this situation is unfortunately unfixable. These days, he relies on us to bathe, feed, and move him into positions which grant some physical comfort, not exactly what one would consider awe inspiring or miraculous.
The Healing Power of Nature
My dad's happy place has always been outdoors planting and tending his gardens, so as the days have gotten warmer, we've figured out a way to bring him outdoors. As he settles in, smelling the damp earth, feeling the sunlight's warmth on his face, hearing the songbirds, his pain seems to melt away and he smiles from ear to ear. We are in awe that this simple act creates so much healing. We are witness to the sacred in his face, eyes, and smile. Suddenly, the future uncertainty is of no importance as we are connected in the here and now. That is sacred!
You'll find the SACRED if you are open....
The sacred is always available to us whether in times of good or bad. The practice of making time each day to settle, meditate and breathe brings stillness and quiet which allows the wonder to be revealed. Sacred is there for us all to realize.
Will you make a place for it in your life?
My dad's happy place has always been outdoors planting and tending his gardens, so as the days have gotten warmer, we've figured out a way to bring him outdoors. As he settles in, smelling the damp earth, feeling the sunlight's warmth on his face, hearing the songbirds, his pain seems to melt away and he smiles from ear to ear. We are in awe that this simple act creates so much healing. We are witness to the sacred in his face, eyes, and smile. Suddenly, the future uncertainty is of no importance as we are connected in the here and now. That is sacred!
You'll find the SACRED if you are open....
The sacred is always available to us whether in times of good or bad. The practice of making time each day to settle, meditate and breathe brings stillness and quiet which allows the wonder to be revealed. Sacred is there for us all to realize.
Will you make a place for it in your life?
Lori Walker
