Originally Posted December 2015 –
I believe the soul is the very being of who you are. It is the essence of your existence. It is the principal of your presence. It matters more than anything…and I mean, more than ANYTHING. More than your job, more than your house, more than your car, more than your marriage, more than your family, even more than your dog. And, if this is true, and I’m just thinking out loud, but if this is true…why do we waste time on things that do not feed our soul? Why do we invest in things that distract us from becoming who we are truly meant to be at the very center of our spirit?
Why don’t we create a space in our life, our home, our work, our commute, and our relationships that feeds this soul, this part of us that will move from this world to the next even as our bodies lie rotting in the grave? Why instead, do we seek to entertain and numb the senses? Why do we stress about the money and the drive and the work and the bills and the, and the, and the? Why don’t we look for ways to renew our soul, to feed the very core of our beings? Why don’t we seek solace? Why don’t we pursue purpose? Why don’t we want wisdom? Why don’t we ask for answers?
As I write this, I am attending a day-long personal Advent retreat. I am sitting alone in a cloistered room in the upper level of this three-story, turn-of-the-century home studying the Christmas story and the Wise Men who so committedly pursued the star in the sky in order to see a king in a stable. It was their purpose. It was their passion.
This amazing home and the time “away” has giving me the opportunity to reflect on the “Stars” in my own life; those things which guide me into the presence of God. They may be people, events, places, or even experiences. And to be honest, as I’ve pondered this idea and searched for the guiding light of my life, I’ve realized that, sadly, I have very few. Or rather, I am awareof very few: I suspect the stars are there but I’m simply unable to see them clearly. I’m too distracted by the blinding glare of the false illumination in my world.
I am reminded of our trip to Yellowstone Park in 2009. We were driving from one end of the park to the other and because of the heavy traffic and the great distance, we found ourselves shy of our destination very late at night in a high plateau in the park. There were no cities, no street lights, and no other cars for miles. We were there, alone, in the darkness. We stopped the car and turned out all the lights and sat on the hood, looking up into a sky that was unlike any I’d ever seen before. Without man-made ambient light to limit our vision, we were able to see stars in a way we’d never seen them before. The clarity and intensity of those heavenly bodies was breath-taking. They spanned the night sky and left us at a loss for words, in awe of their scope and grandeur.
As I think about the search for stars in my life that leads me, I realize that there is no time in my life when I am not blinded by the ambient distractions a busy world. Understand, I don’t blame anyone but myself. I’ve erected the lights. I’ve cultivated the distractions. I’ve created the lack of space and time for careful observation and sky gazing.
The sad truth is that I fail to carve out time that is purely committed to this endeavor. Instead, I fill my hours with television, movies, busy work, worry and games – as many distractions as possible, diversions of every kind. As a result, I fail to feed by soul, exercise my body, and manage my physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
And so, it begs the question: What would I need to do to renew my soul on a daily basis? What space do I need to create that will allow me to find peace, discover grace, and feed my soul? And if you are like me, and I suspect you are, what do you need to do? What space do you need to create?
Let’s be honest; when is the last time you truly looked at the stars?
