One of the gifts of a little more time and space to breathe in life is working on the practice of paying attention. We tend to spend a lot of mental energy ruminating over past events or mistakes we cannot change and worrying about future things over which we have little to no control. Living in the moment truly takes practice. I've said this before but kids are good at it. We can learn from them.
When my kids were small we tried to eat meals together as much as possible. We'd usually begin with a prayer. A sung prayer. You may know it.
For health and strength and daily food
we praise your name, Oh Lord.
We'd also sing it in Spanish.
Nos damos gracias, O Senor,
por nuestra pan de hoy. Amen
We still pray like that when we share a meal all together. Our grandson (who's 2) delights in being part of the circle of held hands. For some reason as we sing, he intensely scans each face around the table before he attempts to join in. After a harmonized "Amen" his response is always the same: "Agaaaaaain!" We often comply.
It's the looking into every face that gets me. Why does he do that? What does he see? What is he thinking? What does it feel like for him to be in the circle? Is it our blended voices that delight him? Or amuse him?
I don't know. What I know is that I want to slow down enough to look into faces with the same intensity, curiosity, openness, and delight.
God's goodness to you today,
Ruth
