Bird Droppings February 5, 2011
We are where we need to be NOW

“St. Therese’s Prayer:
May today there be peace within. May you trust your highest power that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let his presence settle into our bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of you.” St. Therese of Lisieux

I woke up this morning and went outside to sit and think and my thoughts were so jumbled from a severe sinus headache but the stillness of the morning and clean feeling of the cool air seemed to help as I meditated for a few moments while I took our dog out. I should have wrapped in my blanket and put my shoes on as I was sitting looking at the little dipper I was having a hard time thinking of what to write about and came inside and fell asleep sitting in a recliner trying to clear my head. I knew I would have a thought after I could think again.
Yesterday I rode with my oldest son as moral support on his way to his interview session at Piedmont College. I sat waiting in the lobby while he discussed with various professors his views on education and teaching. As I sat there I got into a discussion with a fellow who by virtue of his name tag worked at Piedmont. Turns out he is a maintenance manager and as we talked found out he too was a Pennsylvania native and West Chester State former student back in the day. Actually we were both there at the same time. Synchronistic as Carl G. Jung would say. We talked about organic gardening, our old stomping grounds over lapped as he too was a fan of Ocean City on the Jersey Shore. The time went quickly and on the way home my son mentioned he had been asked why he had chosen the teaching field. I told him many will say they are called to teaching. Myself it just seems to be where I need to be at the time.
I came to school as I do many Sundays and had an email one of those sort of chain letters forwarded by an acquaintance and then you are to send to nine people. As I looked at the email so often I delete casual forwards immediately many times without even opening I get quite a few random ones from students. I always like the ones that start you will die tonight if you break this chain sort of thing. Once in a blue moon I respond and add a line “if you break this chain many people will thank you”. This passage from St. Theresa happened to be in the forwarded message.

“May today there be peace within.”

A simple line yet so often I just left the hall where a student was “so pissed” to borrow from the teen vernacular that the feeling will carry for a few moments maybe all day. What if we could find peace within and carry that all day this is a powerful thought.

“May you trust your highest power that you are exactly where you are meant to be.”
I have often said I am where I am meant to be right at this moment. We can all come up with the whys and how’s but for whatever reason I am here doing something that brings fulfillment and joy to me and hopefully to those whose lives I touch.

“May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.”

So often faith is construed as religion and in this context I really think a synonym is appropriate “trust” do not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of trust. I work daily with students I can not trust but I have to do something with them. In order to move in any direction it requires trust at some point and trust in one self as well. A powerful word is trust.

“May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.”

So often or I should say far too often people sit and seek help never utilizing what they could do for them selves. We live in a world where it is far too easy to ask for help and get it never really trying to survive on our own. Maybe this is why I really do not like the reality shows and survivor shows on TV. Give them a match and a Swiss army knife and drop on a deserted island and come back in a month that is real survival. But the second part is crucial, pass on the love that has been given too you. In today’s day and age so often we hoard love. We expect it but do not pass it on. It struck me as I read these simple yet powerful words. As I do so often I researched St. Therese and this wonderful person was a nun in France in the late 1800’s. She had devoted her life to prayer and understanding prayer. After she was gone books were written about her devotion to the power of prayer.

“Grace walks in simplicity” Thomas a Kempis

I recalled several books I have read in the past few years written by a new age sort of guru of prayer Dr. Larry Dossey. He has authored numerous books on prayer from a medical standpoint as a physician. Healing Words was one of his first books as he has sought alternatives in his medicine for many years and lectures now through the world on alternative medicine. I have a small book I have used several times in my morning writings written by an Native American physician who uses bits and pieces of his past to heal those in need. Yesterday I received an email from a former student and I will end today with a few words from her note. She went into my idea of life being a puzzle and mentioned how it is finally making sense to her as her life falls into place. She mentioned her new friend Kous, a two and a half year old red-tailed hawk that that her new boyfriend who happens to be a falconer is training. But as I read her note for the first time in many years a peace was with her and now the puzzle pieces are falling into place. Simplicity may we all try and attain peace within ourselves and then spread it around and as always please keep all in harms way on your mind and in your hearts.
namaste
bird