FALLING

:Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty if only we had eyes to see them.

I think I see an angel flying through the clouds.  Just imagination I know.

I think of prayer as a time of complete relaxation and trust.  When I have been prayed for with gentle and loving words \I have felt totally relaxed and the need to control my life or my body is lifted off me.  I know that I may fall into loving arms behind me so even though it is expected it is unexpected.  There is physical movement and spiritual movement.  All fear is lifted and tranquillity takes its place and the soul within finds true rest.  This is what happens when one falls under the power of the Holy Spirit when a group of people feel the spiritual energy that is around us all.  Faith becomes alive.

There is learning to fall physically which is important in sports etc. but there is learning to fall in life that means we let go our grip on all that we find most precious-our achievements, our plans, our loved ones, who we thought we were- instead seeing we need to take time to Just Be.
 

I am sure we all remember lying on our backs as a child and see different forms in the clouds.  Children can spend time in wonder and in a world of their imagination. I believe they can see what we do not see and that they can even hear music that our ears have grown deaf to.  Also one of the first thing a child learns is to fall and then to get up again.  They can even laugh at themselves.

As a child I can remember laughing at cartoons like Elmer Fudd hunting that “wascally wabbit”.  Laughing is good for our health and relieves stress.

We have all suffered and will suffer our own falls.  The fall from childhood dreams and youthful ideals, the waning of physical strength as we get older, the fall into times of despair and hopelessness and the falls we take as we lose our balance as we get older.

Since both dad and I know our balance is not so good it is easy to stumble and fall.  I find I can go down hard and feel stunned for a moment or two.  I feel stupid and embarrassed.  I know that there is a Buddhist meditation in which one is mindful of each step one takes on the earth and I know that is a good practice for us both.

What a blessing to be able to walk upright and never should be taken for granted. 

Even nations fall for a lack of guidance according to scripture.--Proverbs 11:14.

:I tell you the truth unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed."  -John 12:24  "But if it dies, it produces many seeds,"

"Every person has inside a basic decency and goodness.
If they listen to it and act on it, they will be giving a great deal of what the world needs most.
It is not complicated but it takes courage.
It takes courage for a person to listen to his own goodness and act on it."    -Pablo Casals