Soul-scape take Two

The invitation to pay attention to the creation around us can help us be more aware of the creation within us.  That what happens outside impacts and influences what is going on inside us.

A few friends and I joke about being "solar powered".  If I don't see the sun for a few days I turn into grumpy dwarf quickly.  We could talk about this on a chemical level of my body needing vitamin D or we could talk about this on a psychological level of how the weather impacts our moods.  But I also think there is a soul level here.  The warm of the sun causes my soul to dance.  The rainy days of life give my soul a chance to slow down, sit, and be.  I need both. 

Creation is a character in our stories.  For too long we have assumed it was a minor character - supporting actress/actor at best playing a bit role.  Creation was there for our enjoyment, creation as a means to an end to put a smile on our face or inspire a sonnet.  But what if creation was necessary for its own sake and plays an important role in our human evolution?

Again, physically we need the oxygen that the trees produce.  We need the medicine harvested from plants.  We cannot manufacture or make in a lab everything we need to sustain our life.  Some of what helps keep us whole is beyond our ability to create. 

Creation's value is intrinsic for its own sake.

Such a view isn't always accepted by everyone.  There are folks who will only see what is around us through the lens of the bottom line or what can be marketable and profitable.  There are folks who see what is around us through the lens of how to control it.  There are folks who see creation as a distraction. 

But for me, I realize how much I need to interact with the world which is alive with more sounds than I can hear, more sights that I can comprehend, more colors than in a box of crayons, more smells than my nose can perceptive, more experiences than one life time will be able to contain.

Julie Andrews was right, the hills are alive with the sound of music.

But are we listening?  Are we letting loose to sing along?  Are we joining the chorus or are our actions shaking our fists as if to shout, "For pete's sake, cut that out!"?

Again, I encourage you to go outside letting the sights, sounds, smells, and whole of the world sing to your soul.  How have you been interacting with creation this week?  Did a rain storm refresh your soul or cause frustration?  Did the sun warm your skin or cause a sunburn?  Did the wind gently cool your skin or blow off your hat sending you racing after it?

Part of not idealizing or romanticizing creation is that we are honest about our reactions and responses to what is around us.  We start with what is in our hearts, listening.  We continue to interact with what is happening around us to get a sense of what is going on within us.

I pray as we continue this prayer practice there will be more than a trace of God's grace.

Blessings ~~