Sangerfest

Sangerfest is a musical event held at my kids private school each spring. It is a showcase if their musical collection up until that point, and also is a fundraising event. The school is part of a religious structure that I no longer participate in. It was fascinating for me to listen to the songs from this vantage and notice….and here are my thoughts.

Songs are poetry. How very interesting that we continue old traditions well beyond our remembrance of their significance and often origin. Do we, when we sing these songs believe that which we are singing? Do we hold true the spells we sing? Blood? Sacrifice? Sin and shame is gone, we have been set free?

Are we living shame free? What is shame?

Brene Brown (a shame and vulnerability researcher) asserts that shame is when we make ourselves “wrong” as opposed to guilt – which is a thing we did is wrong. I stole a candy bar for example: I am a horrible person (shame) vs I made a bad choice (guilt).

Do we become numb by over exposure? YES. Hedonic adaptation says so. It is the reason that we can watch a movie with violence without flinching, or how we can move from one place to another, and become “used to it”. Familiar and comfortable are not the same thing.

I’d say that our “comfort zone” would be more aptly described as our “familiar zone” and though familiar – there is something – something calling – a longing laying dormant underneath. Or perhaps it is a discontent. There is something in our lived experience that is just not what we would prefer to have in our life. But – we press on – we push this aside. We tell ourselves it is not THAT bad…..it could be worse. There is wisdom in finding things to be grateful for, right where you are. There is, however, greater wisdom in paying attention. There is wisdom in taking the time to be still, to sit and listen to that small voice that is hinting, nudging us towards a fuller freer more expanded version of our lived experience.

It is as though Spirit is leaning down and whispering “grow, grow”. It is the pearl of great price. It is that still small voice. If you want to know what it is saying for you and your life – you MUST pay attention….what are the areas of your life where you are noticing your longings and your discontents?

What is the most precious resource you have? TIME
The thing is, that you don’t get a choice about whether or not you will create. If you keep breathing, you will create another day, week, month, year.

You DO however, get to choose how you create – it can be by default, or, by Design. I encourage you all to choose to listen to the at lone voice of decent. The one small voice that asks….what if…..?

What if I could?

What if it WERE possible?

What if it were easy?

What are your longings and discontents speaking to you?

In a world of business, noise, habit, entertainment, obligation. In an inner landscape that tells us all the reasons we can’t, won’t, shouldn’t, aren’t smart enough, young enough, wealthy enough, disciplined enough…..among the noise is a voice of defiant hope,…..one that asks what if I could? Choose to sit with THIS voice…..and start becoming an active participant in creating a life you LOVE rather than living the life that was given to you.

Some people live ninety years, and some people live one year ninety times.

It’s your life…..make it a good one.