In Memory of 2022
To reflect on the last year, I retreated to a friend's farm about an hour away right before Christmas. The setting was tranquil, and the weather was just right, with the clouds shading me from the glorious sun at the right time. I had my journal from last year to read and reflect on and a calm dog named Bobby to keep me company. It was a perfect, restful moment in the Pichincha mountains.
I reflected on my journey. I thought of all the trials I have overcome to this point and all the lessons I'm still learning. And there are many memories blurred behind the fog of forgetfulness. Some memories are as clear as the air, passing but always there. But this new season, I want to create great memories. Memories that my children would love to share as part of their story and memories for my wife and me to cherish. My time away has allowed me to ponder what that means in my everyday life.
Recently but not coincidently, the same friend from gave me two large bags of books. Among those books, I found my answer. The title of the book "The Sacred Journey" jumped out of the copious other titles. And I heard of the author Frederick Buechner before, who happened to pass away on August 15 last year, but I have never read any of his works. Somehow, I felt that something in this book would help give me a better perspective of my everyday life. Upon reading the intro, I was encouraged that my journey was not just a journey passing through time but a sacred journey. And not one of isolated pietism, privately gorging on my personal spiritual development, far from it. It is a journey of seeing, listening, and responding intently and with curiosity to the mundane moments right in front of me. It is a journey that invites others to behold ordinary moments as unfolding mysteries.
At the turn of the year, I wrote in my journal a sort of resolution for this new season and my life:
To hear beyond hearing, to see beyond seeing
to know beyond thinking, to converse without words
to behold moments as mysteries unfolding—
this is the hopeful end to all my faithful beginnings.
I want to behold mundane moments and dare to transform them into meaningful memories. If that sounds like something you would like to cultivate in your life, this month we will be exploring what a sacred journey may look like. We will be using Buechner's book The Sacred Journey as a guide. We invite you to converse with us and share your thoughts on our Facebook page or on Instagram. A virtual event will be posted soon.
Many blessings,
