Tag Archives: Loss

Soul & Solace: Winded

Creativity/Spirituality, , , , , , , ,

We walk a neighborhood hill that, I swear, gets steeper as the temperatures climb. I powered up it one morning and, at its crest, found myself winded.
 
Winded. A word I come across in books, but rarely in conversation.
 
Yet the word shot into my mind as I paused at the crest, bent over, hands on thighs, hauling in breath. And it named more than my lung fatigue.
 
We live on a planet stained by pandemic and, despite our efforts to scrub it out, a faint tinge remains. Every cough is suspect; we face a lifetime of annual shots in the arm. More than that, the after effects stare at us through empty business windows, empty (or overpriced) store shelves, empty chairs. Leaves us winded.
 
Across the globe, war drags on: civilians taking up arms, hundreds of thousands killed, citizens tortured, children kidnapped. All for a hunk of land. Leaves us winded.
 
Yet another school shooting. Yet another community horrified and grieving. Parents of slain children comforting the most recent parents of slain children. How do we describe the tragedy? Vile? Obscene? The new normal? Leaves us winded.
 
Great art banned or labeled pornographic. Winded.
 
Add to that a spate of natural disasters, stress at work or school and/or home, personal loss. Definitely winded.
  
With all that taxing our air supply, how can we draw breath?  These practices can send good O2 coursing through our souls. Choose what suits you. 

  • Sing! Singing literally helps us draw breath. It also lessens depression and enables us to express our emotions. Who cares if we’re pitch perfect or know all the words? Let’s just crank up the music and belt it out!
  • Journal: Whether we journal in words, illustrations, or items glued onto a page, a journal is our breathing space. We find clarity and cleansing between the covers of our journal.
  • Good Growing: Whether we plant a garden, take a wildflower road trip, or tend a succulent, attending to the health and hope of living things helps us breathe deep.
  • Advocate/Volunteer: We can do something to alleviate a hardship or wrong that has us winded. Send a get-well card, foster or adopt a rescue animal, sign a petition, attend our Banned Book Speakeasy…. Whatever action we take, however small, for the good, is a breath of fresh air. At the same time, we need also to…
  • …Care for Self: Be it a daily rest time, a good book, a walk in nature, or a creative project, caring for ourselves is vital when we’re winded.
  • Savor Surprise: Like a resurrection, fresh starts can come as a surprise. Let’s gather breath and hope for great amazement in days to come. When it comes, however unexpected, let’s savor it!

Spring is here, with its promise of fresh air and fresh starts. We, at A Spacious Place, hope for you experiences that fill and thrill your soul with bracing, fresh air.  
 
How does “winded” feel to you? How do you find soul breath in hard times? Share your thoughts with us at contact@aspaciousplace.com.

February 2012 Soul and Solace

Creativity/Spirituality, , , , , , , ,

Ramah Faith

       “A voice was heard in Ramah,
              wailing and loud lamentation,
                      Rachel weeping for her children;
                             she refused to be consoled, 
                                   because they are no more.” 
                                             (Matthew 2:18 NRSV)

The above passage, drawn from the book of Jeremiah by the writer of Matthew’s Gospel, takes us to the bone. Transported to Ramah, we feel Rachel’s loss and suffering. We stand with her in the timelessness of her grief.

Perhaps you, too, know inconsolable loss
              of loved ones,
                     of health,
                            of relationships,
                                   of childhood,
                                          of dreams,
                                                 of innocence,
                                                        of job,
                                                               of....

Standing in the truth of loss and choosing faith is a hard thing. A Ramah Faith is one baptized in tears—and in fire. It is a gritty, hard-edged faith that has moved beyond politeness and into fierce-eyed determination. It is a faith that asks questions that may never, in this lifetime, meet their answers. It’s a faith that gets us out of bed in the morning when we want only to curl our knees into our chest, close our eyes, and sink into unknowing. It’s feeling that…and getting up anyway.

A Ramah faith lives with its scars.

Do you stand alongside Rachel? Have you have survived or are you dwelling this moment in Ramah? Then please consider joining our online community. Beginning next week, visit our site at www.RamahFaith.com, where you can express the truth of your loss in a variety of creative forms. Also, you can suggest ways we can serve as your supportive community in your Ramah season. Have questions?