Good morning…
Yesterday’s post contained the word unfurl. That’s a active, little word. Sails and scrolls. Flags and fern fronds. Buds and butterfly wings. These things unfurl.
Today in my reading I meet a similar, small word. Unfold. “We sometimes mourn how certain things in our life unfold,” writes Paula D’Arcy on page 26 of Waking Up to This Day. Here is the context for her comment.
“Life contains a variety of sobering realities,” says Paula. “There are relationships we’d like to repair but simply cannot, either because the other person is not willing, or has died, or perhaps has moved on in his or her own life. There are others we long to help but who will not receive our assistance for a number of reasons. Sometimes they are simply not ready. But our own healing does not depend upon (or demand) being able to turn any situation around. It is about turning ourselves around. It is about beginning to see what we formerly couldn’t see and taking a step toward living differently. In the process we develop compassion for each soul who struggles with the human journey.”
“We sometimes mourn how certain things in our life unfold,” Paula understands. “This is natural. But in the end, we cannot go back. There is only this day. This is where life takes place. The day in front of me is life.”
Living Lord, we look to you as our Helper in our healing. The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple (Psalm 119:130, NRSVA).
Within this day right in front of us, might we take time to mourn, to gradually heal, to begin to understand the more God has in store?
Unfurling and unfolding, this is the day where life takes place.
…Sue…
