Morning Meditation

 

I pray you are continuing to find ways to hold the two questions I asked yesterday.  To recap and review, I asked you how have you been kind to your future self (that is an act yesterday that will make life a bit easier in February or March or even July) and what is a meaningful compliment you’ve received recently? 

I encouraged you to make these questions a cornerstone of weekly or monthly reflections.  These two questions reminded me of a great mantra from Jon Acuff.  “Forgive your former self; enjoy your present self; be kind to your future self.”

 

Now, first, that is a lot.  Seriously, how much homework are these morning meditations going to be this year?!!  You don’t have to do this right now.  But I wonder if there is luggage you are carrying from 2022 that perhaps you can let go?  Sometimes we return to mistakes we’ve made yesterday thinking that if we don’t we may not, “Learn our lesson” or we will “repeat history.”  Yet, much of this shaming and blaming doesn’t really change behavior.  Yelling at ourselves or others, berating or belittling ourselves or others doesn’t work.  You can be accountable without continually accusing yourself of being a bonehead.  For example, if I say something I regret, which I do frequently each day, I can both say, “Wes, that wasn’t your shining moment,” and realize/recognize I was hungry.  I can genuinely ask the person I said those words to, to forgive me.  The growth happens when I take the step to say, “Before the meeting I should eat a few crackers, take a sip a water, and a few deep breaths.”  Notice the difference?  Forgiveness is not blanket permission, nor is it continually lashing yourself with negativity.  Growth means learning, listening, and living through the challenges time and time again.  Remember, there is no perfection.  I will say things I regret.  But I continue, through forgiveness, to keep learning.

 

To enjoy today, this moment, this sip of warm coffee or sunshine or conversation.  To be in the moment with all is fragile beauty.  Pause with me.  What are five things you see, four things you hear, three things you can touch, two things you can smell, and one thing you feel right now?  Go ahead…name and notice these.  I’ll wait.

 

To be kind to my future self by getting gas before the tank is on empty, taking a day off, not booking back-to-back meetings, buying a new book to read next week, or buying tickets to a performance. 

 

I hope you already, right now, have in mind one thing to forgive, one way to enjoy this day, and one thought to be kind to yourself on January 30^th.  See, the homework wasn’t that bad, and you already got an “A” because this was never going to be graded anyway.  May you know forgiveness, may you find joy today, and may you be wrapped in a love that lingers and lights the way for days to come.  Amen.