Reflection #3 The Next Chapter
Reflection #3 The Next Chapter
“Let us remember that within us there is a palace of immense magnificence.” –Teresa of Avila
Here I sit coffee mug in hand at my keyboard struggling to write the next chapter. Could this be the opportunity to make a new and improved life? Now retired from the work-a-day world, I enjoy these days of leisure spent with family and friends. I am in the infancy of the rest of my life. As I awaken each morning, I stretch my limbs and give thanks for all I have, for love and companionship, and health. I also give thanks for the life I have filled with neighbors, leisurely walks with my pup, dabbling in watercolors, and interacting with grandchildren.
In some ways, this is a contented time for me. On my good days, I have a sense of internal well-being that is calm and soft. I am free. I have nothing to prove to myself or anyone else. My children are self-sufficient adults with families of their own. Times with my grandchildren are mine to choose – or not. Mine is not a state of “happy-happy” all the time. Instead, it is a quiet contentment even in times when I feel low.
As old roles, attachments, and even some pleasures fade away what then can emerge is a miraculous sense of discovery, that moves us from “doing” to “being”. As we settle more and more into this new time, we see that there is nothing to achieve in the old sense once held. There is no need to be different than we already are. How we are in this moment is enough. Perhaps our future work is in being ourselves, offering what we can for others.
What kind of life do I want? What will I do day to day, and with whom and where? Just for today, I’ll get out my watercolors and brushes. It is one small action toward what I envision. Floundering with the paper canvas, flow of water, and paint, I will not do it well. So, I let go of the idea that I must be the best at something to do it. As I begin this new chapter, I am learning to enjoy the experience, not perfection. Today I do something that will bring me joy even if I know it will not be perfect.
Now it’s your turn. Take time to reflect and if in a group, share as you feel able.
When you think about your future do you feel:
a. okay and pretty optimistic.
b. neither worried nor excited.
c. fearful or worried.
d. anticipating boredom for the rest of my life.
ABOUT TERESA OF AVILA Teresa of Avila’s mother died when she was only eleven years old, leading her to embrace a deeper spirituality in life. Nine years later she dedicated her life to a religious community where she enjoyed extensive reading and studied spirituality and the contemplative life. She wrote two books, The Way of Perfection and Interior Castle, that are still read and studied today.
Her second book, Interior Castle, was inspired by her vision of the contemplative soul as a diamond in the shape of a castle containing seven rooms; each stage envisioned what an ideal journey of faith entails; “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1, NRSV).