Defining Perfection
Last week-end Northern Illinois was blessed with perfect weather. Cloudless sky, fresh breezes and temps in the mid 70's. The windows were wide open and the air was off. I could have moved a cot to the screen porch and camped out along side the house. There was nothing more to be asked of Mother Nature unless you were living on the east coast. I watch the news. I read the paper. I knew about Irene's anticipated arrival and the anguish I felt for those living in the path of danger almost kept me from enjoying several days of glorious sunshine and great biking weather.
Recovering co-dependents might understand where I am going with this. They may also identify with the almost guilty feeling of being happy when others are at risk. Peddling along the river I was thinking about the disadvantage of living in this technological era: having to struggle with too much information. Without news reports and global communications systems, I would have been able to enjoy the butterflies dancing above wild flowers in the meadow as I cruised along a path through the forest preserve. Instead, I was worrying about the storm and the lives in peril in another part of my country. The usual prayers started running through my head ("Lord, let them be safe") at the same time my rational self said "are you kidding, they're not safe, there is a life-threatening storm bearing down on millions of Americans some of whom have no where to go to get to safety." I kept peddling and I stopped worrying. Not instantly, but with great effort I forced myself to think only of the light of God.
What point would there have been in giving in to consternation. What would have been gained by becoming absorbed in the negative energy of the storm itself. How was I going to receive the grace I needed to live my life to the fullest if I kept worrying about impending global disasters, the fall of the national and world economies, children at risk and the fate of the world. My little world was just fine.
As it turns out the damage wasn't as bad as expected; although, unfortunately, not everyone made it through the storm. Would things have been better if I'd prayed harder or if everyone stopped what they were doing and joined in prayer. Will we ever know, in this age of super technology we seem to be so enamored of, how to keep the world's children safe from harm, well-fed and well-protected.
Recovering co-dependents might understand where I am going with this. They may also identify with the almost guilty feeling of being happy when others are at risk. Peddling along the river I was thinking about the disadvantage of living in this technological era: having to struggle with too much information. Without news reports and global communications systems, I would have been able to enjoy the butterflies dancing above wild flowers in the meadow as I cruised along a path through the forest preserve. Instead, I was worrying about the storm and the lives in peril in another part of my country. The usual prayers started running through my head ("Lord, let them be safe") at the same time my rational self said "are you kidding, they're not safe, there is a life-threatening storm bearing down on millions of Americans some of whom have no where to go to get to safety." I kept peddling and I stopped worrying. Not instantly, but with great effort I forced myself to think only of the light of God.
What point would there have been in giving in to consternation. What would have been gained by becoming absorbed in the negative energy of the storm itself. How was I going to receive the grace I needed to live my life to the fullest if I kept worrying about impending global disasters, the fall of the national and world economies, children at risk and the fate of the world. My little world was just fine.
As it turns out the damage wasn't as bad as expected; although, unfortunately, not everyone made it through the storm. Would things have been better if I'd prayed harder or if everyone stopped what they were doing and joined in prayer. Will we ever know, in this age of super technology we seem to be so enamored of, how to keep the world's children safe from harm, well-fed and well-protected.
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