Renewal of the Spirit

Last night as I walked home from our local Seven Eleven, I stopped to talk to a neighbor. We commented on the pleasantness of the sound of the cicadas and how that sound brought back memories of our childhood. I noticed last night how much time we spend outside at this time of year and even though the days are getting shorter, we still find ourselves outside when nighttime falls.

As we near the end of summer our thoughts begin to focus more intently on our work, our plans, and our goals. There is a rhythm in life that moves to the seasons. Summertime in our part of the country is a time to look for ways to escape the heat, enjoy time with family, and relax. We retreat to our vacation destinations or if we are fortunate enough we have a place a get away from it all on the weekend.

In thinking of these things I was tempted to think of the summer as a time of renewal. It seems easy for me to think that the activities we so much enjoy in the summer would renew the body and the spirit. While I guess that it is true that rest and relaxation can help to renew our bodies, I was left to wonder whether or not we do much for our spirit in the summer. My conclusion is that during the summer our spirit goes lacking.

I have been wresting with matters of my spirit for a while. There has been a running conflict with my passion and my appetites. My passion is to develop people to make a difference. My appetite is for self fulfillment and personal satisfaction. The struggle between the two is similar in many ways to what is experienced by people addicted to food, or alcohol, or even cigarettes. I don’t mean to minimize the seriousness of those addictions, and I do understand that each of those addictions can be accompanied by a chemical change in the body that compels a person to engage in behaviors that can be deadly. Yet, I have found that my appetite for self fulfillment and personal satisfaction often leads me away from my passion. When I leave my passion, my spirit seems to suffer almost to the point of being harmful.

I believe that we can not live healthy lives disconnected from our passion. We can endure brief periods of disconnection, but in the end we must all find, and live out our passion. For me, my passion is also my vocation. I earn a part of my living as a result of my gift to help people change their lives. Yet, in order to pay the bills, I have given way to other pursuits and neglected my passion. The resulting wounding of my spirit has reduced my energy, and even my drive. In the end, this condition would result in my inability to even do the other work that “pays the bills.”

I am lucky enough to have people in my life that sometimes take the time to remind me to stay focused on my passions. Sometimes the conversations are not what I want to hear. Sometimes the message is a scolding. From other people it is the reflection of their disappointment when I seem to be wandering away from my mission. I even have a friend that reminds me when I am straying from my dreams. In this regard I am more blessed than most. I received one of those reminders today. It was a brief conversation. I was not scolded, or cajoled. There was no recrimination or guilt. Rather, just an observation, that my heart did not seem to be in my work. What a wake up call!

In that brief conversation today I resolved the conflict. I can’t live my life disconnected from my passion. I can’t experience success simply by my ability to “pay the bills.” I have had the good fortune to know clearly what I am called to do. Every time I have strayed away from that I experience calamitous results. I guess that I had forgotten that I had found my V.O.I.C.E.

As the summer comes to an end, many are heading back to school. Some of us will head back to work and commit to a faster pace, recognizing that the summer is ending and it is time to get serious. As for me, I am returning to my passion. I am focusing on renewing my spirit and doing what I am called to do. Just this recognition already has my energy flowing.

I have learned something new about the summer. It is wonderful for the body. We exercise, get out in the sun, and enjoy our lives. We connect with family and friends, and we create memories. These are all very important activities. However, what we lack in the summer is a focus on our spirits. We lose touch with our faith, and we fail to nourish our spirit. It is time to open the windows in that room and let the air back in. As we are thankful for the summer, we must now be thankful for the coming fall and the spirit of renewal in another important dimension of our life. Maybe this does not apply to your life, but this certainly means a great deal to me today.