November 2nd - Care For Your Soul

Start Quote

Reason, intellect, imagination, passion,

poetry, prayer, sex, song, and saxophone

cannot unravel or fully reveal the mystical nature of our souls.

Let alone understand it.

Obviously, after twenty-five thousand years of trying,

we're not meant to understand [fully] the essence of Soul.

But we can come to know her...

In order to approach "the depth that is the domain of the soul,"

Moore urges us to become "artists and theologians of our own lives." 

It is through "the small details of everyday life" 

that we make our souls feel welcome. 

"Tending the things around us and becoming 

sensitive to the importance of home, daily schedule, 

and maybe even the clothes we wear 

are ways of caring for the soul,"

Moore tells us in his deeply moving meditation,

Care of the Soul... 

Today...ask...

What do you need at this moment?

What would bring you peace, contentment, joy?

It may be to slow down, take a walk, hug a child, caress a cat.

Flip through a magazine. Call your sister.

Send a funny card to a friend. Take a nap.

Order Chinese carryout. Watch a favorite movie...

Solve an English mystery. Turn in early. 

Dream. Fantasize. Pray.

Whatever it might be, she will tell you.

Ask. 

End Quote

If there's one thing that I'm trying to get the hang of,

it's caring for my body and soul. 

The hard part for me is accepting that doing all the things Sarah suggests is okay. If I order dinner, a little voice in my head guilts me about how I should have made dinner and not spent the money. If I watch a movie, a little voice tells me that I'm wasting my time and there is so much to do. If I take a nap, the voice says you're a lazy bum. 

I don't know where these negative thoughts come from, I don't believe them consciously, but it still hurts. It makes caring for myself incredibly hard. 

But maybe one day it won't be so hard. Maybe one day it'll be easy to tell that awful voice to take a hike, and I won't feel guilty for taking care of myself. 

I know that I'm working on it, 

and I think that's all we're ever asked to do. 

To just keep trying.

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Gratitude Journal

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1) We had an easy night. Cereal for dinner and movies together. 

2) Kisses from my kids.

3) Actually tackling a mountain of laudry.

4) It's finally cold enough to put the shorts and short sleeve shirts away.

5) Today is over, and tomorrow is Friday.