FEED THE SOUL
Question—what have I allowed to devour little pieces of who I am?
I read, today, that social media "hates the soul."
I imagine myself hunkered over a screen in contrast to walking in the forest or leaning in for a hug that nearly knocks me off my feet. And I agree. Who wouldn’t…agree?
You see me here, walking. In lack of context, it’s a picture that seems so basic and benign.
But this image is the exact opposite of no big deal.
This is me, the Overcomer—
The one who survived a surprisingly brutal ordeal.
The recovery of my body has come slowly. But it is the regeneration of my mind that has been slower still.
I am confounded by this omnipresent anxiety that accompanies the familiar things—
Me. Out walking. Me. Going to dinner with friends.
Fear of pebbles in the road. Fear of running out of breath. Pain, possible injury and unfamiliar weakness —have often kept me from what I need and love.
To define Soul, I look to see its opposite having its way in me.
Anxiety. The killer of creativity, of every beautiful seemingly insignificant moment in our lives.
Despite the wisdom of the command, “Be anxious for nothing,” our agitation is flaming little fires everywhere. How is it that we have become more comfortable with our dread than our dreams?
Anxiety—
Because of some past haunting
Because of what others opine or predict
Over things we never believed could happen or even exist—
We’ve mastered the ability to miss the blessing right in front of us, discounting the possibility that something extraordinary is just ahead.
Dodging potholes and pebbles I am gobsmacked by the notion that if anxiety kills creativity, then the opposite must absolutely be true.
When I write and draw, the disquiet subsides.
I have to wonder, what is it you do?
I’m struck that while the whole world is grasping for a remedy,
the remedy is in us—
Have you ever contemplated that the words, Anxious and Eager are nearly interchangeable?
I notice with a troubled heart how often we utter, “I am anxious to speak with him,”
“I am anxious to get home from my long day.”
Anxious implies a feeling of being out of control, a pushing beyond comfort, of being overwhelmed.
Anxious tells yourself and the world that what is, is too hard, too stressful, too much.
Anxious is me-centered, an admission of weakness, a hopelessness, a pushing away from the world.
Now look at what happens when the word Eager becomes the substitute—
Eager tells the body that what is being entered into is exciting, doable, safe.
Eager focuses on the opportunity to bless others and affirms our purpose on this Earth.
Eager awakens the soul to belief in goodness, in possibilities for enrichment and growth.
I imagine Eager is God’s disposition when He wants to speak to me or you.
To walk. It seems such a modest endeavor.
But then there’s me doing it. And miraculously, the whole world shifts—
I am alive and breathing.
Despite the naysayers and doomsday messengers.
Regardless of cancer, chemo and every hard thing that came before.
I am prepared for anything.
But I refuse to give up the prospect of a beautiful life.
To approach each day with Eagerness.
To write. To draw. To garden. To paint.
This is the essence of feeding the soul,
of being in the company of what we were created for.
That is, to Create.
Note: Creativity has become a larger-than-life theme resonating in me. You see it showing up in my writing like a golden thread. Repetitive? Maybe. But I’ve learned that making a shift in belief requires a certain redundancy. Redundancy has a powerful impact…in design…and in life. It’s how the soul awakens. Slowly, as it trusts what’s ahead.
It’s just so easy to be destructive with our thoughts, words, and deeds. If you’ve ever demolished or renovated a home, you know—the hard part is building something.
My hope, my purpose, is to build a tribe of those who make it their life’s mission, not to tear down, but to create.