No Wrong Place

It’s amazing to me how often – if we pay attention and look for it – we find inspiration. I have often written about finding it in nature when I take Charlie on his walks. This morning I found it checking Facebook. Some of my friends post quotes from time to time and I have a growing collection of beautiful quotes that some day I really will have to organize in some fashion.

This morning’s offering came from my friend, Laurie, in Denver. Laurie and I have never met; we’re Facebook friends through a mutual friend. In fact, several of my Facebook friends, including Laurie, were as a result of my connection to Sherold, who is one of the authors in “Real Women, Real Wisdom.” And Sherold is my friend through Marilyn – also one of the contributors to the book and who, coincidentally, grew up in the Denver area. I’ve known Marilyn for a number of years, though we’ve really only become very close over the last few years. She has been an amazing gift in my life. Just sort of an example of how interconnected we all are, or can be if we want connection. I personally think connections with good people, as well as with nature and the world, are critical for our journeys.

The Zen quote Laurie posted this morning actually supports this: “No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place.” (Zen Wisdom)

In a conversation with a friend late last week, I shared my belief that things happen the way they do for a reason. As I wrote in “42 States of Grace,” I don’t believe God orchestrates our lives or creates crises. It’s a natural, physical, real world and things happen. But I do believe God is there holding us as we cry, and crying with us in our pain. I also believe God can use anything and everything as an instrument to open our hearts, make us more loving and compassionate. More connected to all of creation. God can even use Facebook.

For me, the lesson in this quote is: right now, at this present moment, you – like the snowflake -- are exactly where you are supposed to be. And right now, in this present moment, is where God can be found. In spiritual circles, this is called “the sacrament of the present moment.”

I’ve been reading more of Richard Rohr this week and he often talks about the need to lose ourselves, our egocentricity, our need to control, be noticed and be special. Jesus said that “unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat.” (John 12:24). The truth is, there is very little we have control over, and letting go of that illusion is very freeing. We are unique and special and noticed, just by virtue of being children of God, but we don’t trust the truth of that. If we cannot believe in our own inherent value, it will be very difficult to believe in the inherent value of all others of creation, including a single snowflake. And it will be impossible for us to let go of our need for individualism, for ego gratification, which keeps us separate, rather than connected.

So, back to the snowflakes. Another quote Laurie posted (I think it may be snowing in Denver): “A snowflake is one of the most fragile creations, but look what they can do when they stick together!” (Unknown) They can create beauty, but they can also create chaos. Alone they are unique and beautiful but will quickly melt away. They have to give up some of that individuality and join with many others to have a lasting impact. In the same way, we are called to give up many of our individual ego needs and become united, at one with creation.



So my Christmas prayer for you is that you take each moment as a gift, know that God is in that moment. Taking time to spend with loved ones, giving gifts of yourself, being present to each other is much more important than serving a perfect Christmas dinner, or having the presents wrapped and under the tree exactly by 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Let go of others’ expectations of you and see yourself and them as inherently beautiful and beloved, just as you are.

And if you are blessed with a white Christmas, remember you, like each snowflake, are exactly where you are supposed to be right now, at this present moment, creating beauty by just being you.