Today’s Word: ‘Temporary’ as in… really, this too shall pass.
We spent the day outside, in the yard building forts, climbing on rocks, cleaning the pond, getting the waterfall ready to start its gushing, having snacks on the deck, and lunch under the fir tree. It was magical!
We also spent a few minutes just watching the clouds move along. It was fun to see them change from one thing into another. We saw rabbits and ships, dogs and horses. I saw a kid riding a bike. He had wings and was eating a carrot. When I asked Ruby Grace and Ryann if they saw that, they just smiled and said, “Sure Papa.”
As we watched the clouds come and go, I was reminded of how temporary everything is. Thoughts, emotions, situations, physical sensations, nearly everything around us is coming and going. Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly; big things, little things. It’s all changing, it’s all temporary.
As we continue to navigate our way through these challenging days of pandemic, each day presents changes: big and small, frightening and manageable. Andy Puddicombe, co-founder of Headspace is quick to remind us that in times like these, what brings peace of mind is being able to hold ourselves in place when everything seems to be shifting; to be able to see changes taking place without being swept away by those changes. This means not being overwhelmed by the crush of information coming in from the outside while at the same time not being held captive by our internal thoughts. This means putting distance between ourselves and the collective anxiety swirling around us while at the same time taking seriously the gravity of what’s happening in our world right now. It’s about finding balance. Keeping in mind the temporary nature of nearly everything will help.
Jesus’s followers were anxious at every turn until he said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”
Everything is temporary. Except that.