Owning and voicing our gifts

I’d been reading this sweet little book by Julia Cameron, Blessings, each night before going to bed much of last year but stopped half-way through a while back. Not sure why, just stopped the habit. Last night I picked it up again from the table near my bedside where’s its been for these past months and opened it to the chapter (each “chapter” is like a journal note on a topic, just a page or two of spiritual insight and uplift) where I’d left off, and was amazed. Here’s what Ms. Cameron had to share on the topic “I voice the universe in an original way” (page 92):

I bring to life a unique and powerful voice. My insights and perceptions are important blessings. Voicing my insights and perceptions is important to the world. I am an irreplaceable individual whose gifts benefit all. Owning my gifts, inhabiting them, and expanding them are my gifts to the world and those with whom I share it. As I become larger, more colorful, and more truly myself, I create for others the realization that it is safe for them to become larger, more vibrant, more fully alive. Moving upward and outward in a spirit of creative community, I am non-competitive and truly collaborative, growing larger myself while helping others to achieve their true size as well. The cosmic web is alive with greater and greater consciousness, larger and brighter possibility. As I extend my hand in my immediate world, I alter and enlarge the benevolence of the world as a whole. My every action is sweet and significant. Knowing this, I consciously and creatively act for the highest good. My unique voice and consciousness bless all.

The ideas in this passage from Blessings reminded me immediately of something from Mary Baker Eddy’s booklet Pulpit and Press (p. 43) which I hadn’t thought of for a while:

"What if the little rain should say,
'So small a drop as I
Can ne'er refresh a drooping earth,
I'll tarry in the sky.'"

Is not a man metaphysically and mathematically number one, a unit, and therefore whole number, governed and protected by his divine Principle, God? You have simply to preserve a scientific, positive sense of unity with your divine source, and daily demonstrate this. Then you will find that one is as important a factor as duodecillions in being and doing right, and thus demonstrating deific Principle. A dewdrop reflects the sun. Each of Christ's little ones reflects the infinite One, and therefore is the seer's declaration true, that "one on God's side is a majority."

Wow! I needed this idea. Thought it might help others, so wanted to be sure to share it here. Such a good reminder to ask myself, “Am I using the ideas, gifts, talents, etc. God has given me, especially in the way He would like me to use them? Or am I holding back and thus perhaps not helping another feel the fullness of their expression too?” Oh, so likely that I do, certainly have many times over held back from sharing or following through on an idea for fear – fear for being wrong, sounding dumb, off-base, weird. But, if these ideas, inspirations, etc. that I've gotten are from God, there is not, cannot be anything dumb about them, nothing about each one of them and how I would express it that is not on-target. Okay, maybe they might seem weird, at least to others, but what's really wrong with that? Just being fully unique!

I especially appreciate Ms. Cameron’s reminder that, by expressing our true selves more fully, we help others express themselves more vibrantly, joyously, wholly. That’s generosity at work, too. Changes one’s motives about why we share and express our God-given talents and being, doesn’t it? Not for our own display, but to fully express and therefore give praise to God, and to help lift up our neighbor. Hmmm, doesn’t that sound like the two Great Commandments? (Mark 12: 28-34)

I am so grateful for this reminder and will endeavor to watch more that I don’t hold back, don’t do less than express myself and talents as God knows me, and hope and know that this fuller expression of me will help others along as well. Great tie-in to this week’s Christian Science Bible Lesson, too, if you are checking that out.

So own your voice and share it! Be that little rain drop that drops from the clouds and bless the world! I'll be trying to do so more. Hmmm, that sounds like more incentive to share in this blog-way. :)

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

I read this book a year ago and debated about commenting on it, but decided not to after all. But when I took a weekend trip a couple of weeks ago, it just kept coming up in my face. Over and over it was there at bookstores (in town and at the airport), front and center. A number of people pointed it to me, “Have you read this book? It is sooo good!” Hmmm, not sure I totally agree, but it was an interesting read but an unsatisfying ending to me. But, as this book kept coming up in my face so much, here I am adding my thoughts to the blogosphere on it. And it really does have a valuable spiritual lesson – that of the power and importance of honesty. Or perhaps, more accurately, it depicts the devastation of dishonesty.

If you aren’t familiar with the book, here’s a bit of a synopsis. David and Norah Henry, into the start of their marriage after a whirl-wind courtship, are racing to the hospital in a snowstorm in Lexington, Kentucky in the 1960s. She is about to give birth to twins. He is a doctor and must handle the delivery himself, along with the help of Nurse Caroline Gill at his own clinic. Their son is born first – whole and healthy. Their daughter arrives next, with all the signs of Downs Syndrome. David has flashbacks to his childhood, to a sister with the same condition and the misery this created for his mother and difficulties for the family. He makes a decision – to have the girl sent to a home via the nurse and tell his wife their daughter died in childbirth (Norah being unconscious from drugs and pain). Caroline Gill does her duty, at first. She takes the girl to the home David directs her to, but she is disgusted by what she finds and decides to raise the girl on her own. From there, life falls apart for the Henrys and becomes an adventure for Caroline Gill.

Now David has the huge secret of his decision, based on his own assumptions about his wife and her abilities, their relationship, etc., that he must continue to hide from Norah. And their relationship begins to fall apart as he begins to withdraw (from guilt, as a protection). Norah has no idea why this man, who she really didn’t know all that well yet, who was tender and caring, has changed, has closed in on himself. It isn’t until the end of the story that she and their son learn the truth, that they discover this daughter/sister they didn’t know, not until after Norah and David are long divorced and David has died.

For me, the lesson of The Memory Keeper’s Daughter is summed up in this statement from Mary Baker Eddy’s book Science and Health (p. 453):

“Honesty is spiritual power. Dishonesty is human weakness, which forfeits divine help.”

David depicts this weakness. He can’t live up to the obligations and issues that a child with Downs would create. And he assumes this weakness is true of his wife. He cloaks the action in the guise of relieving his wife of a difficult life, assuming she is like his mother, that she is not strong enough to face this type of challenge. And so falls into the trap of dishonesty and the strain of maintaining this lie (BTW, David knew Caroline ended up keeping his daughter, who she named Phoebe. Caroline regularly sent him information and pictures about Phoebe and her life – an action that likely drove David’s guilt deeper and caused him to retreat further within himself.).

I don’t know anyone with a child with Downs, but have certainly read and heard stories of those that do. These stories always depict people that truly rise to the occasion, that reach new levels of strength and love, that find special family bonds as the whole family unites to care for this precious one. David took this opportunity away from his family. From the characterization of Norah, she seems like one who would have cared for their special needs daughter with grace, love, and great strength. If David had been honest, if he had let Norah in on the decision, life would certainly have been totally different for the Henrys. But I don’t think it could have been worse than how it turned out, for sure! They could have found that spiritual strength to propel them along this path that was different than expected but that still would have been filled with joy and love, based on an honest, open decision from moment one of Phoebe’s appearance in their lives. Caroline Gill certainly had a wonderful life with Phoebe and did much good for many based on this dear girl’s presence in her life. It became more than it would have been otherwise.

Okay, yes, just a story, but a great lesson in the importance, the criticalness of honesty. And probably a good one about not making assumptions about others, too, cause you know what they say, when you “assume” you make an “ass” out of “u” and “me.” ;-0

So, not a whole-hearted recommendation of this book, but don’t let this stop you from reading it if you feel drawn to it.

Awaken to the Light

These are some ideas in response to a very sad accident that recently happened to a little boy that attended the school where a friend works. Many were praying for him and his family, but, sadly, he passed on a few days after the accident. The prayers have been helpful, though, as they've supported the family and its friends through the next steps they've been challenged with. My friend reports that many obstacles and issues have come up, but all have been met in really neat ways - definitely ways that have been guided by God.

As with the other posts of these reading, you can view the citations by the links provided or by copying and pasting the references into the Citation Document pane in Concord and clicking on them there. Thanks!


The Bible:
Ps 57:8-11
Ps 139:1-3,11,12,17,18
Isa 52:1 (to :),2,7,9,10
John 1:1-5,9,12 as,16
John 11:1-15,17-27,32-34,38-45
Rom 13:11 now,12
II Tim 1:7,9,10
Eph 5:14 Awake

Science and Health:
95:28-32
190:21
510:27-1
491:17-23,28
292:27-31
493:28-11
128:22 If
218:32-2
230:6
251:8
474:31-2
592:21
584:1
72:12-13
323:24
75:12-24
250:22-32
427:26-3
429:31
288:31-2
305:22
557:18

Christian Science Hymnal:
Hymn 35
Hymn 101
Hymn 161