Clouds

From a journal entry in June of 2007, as I attended my first residency in the Spiritual Guidance Program at Shalem:

“In the process of ‘Examen’ which Rosemary Dougherty has walked us through, I am aware of the phrase she used about “taking the blinders off,” our view being broadened.  I see that I have worn blinders, how rich life is when I pay attention.  We were dismissed to take some time alone.  I went outside where I put my head down on the picnic table, feeling some sense of ‘defeat.’  I will never grasp all of this!  But I also felt some sense of surrender.  When I finally raised my head, I saw the trees before me and was immediately aware of all the various shades of green.  And then I noticed all the shades of green in the grass.  Noticing the clouds moving ever so slowly and deliberately,  I thought about ‘Be patient with the slow work of God.’ Next I paid attention to a yellow butterfly flitting across the grass—so busy, not really landing anywhere.  I thought of myself and how God keeps moving slowly, deliberately while I am busy flitting about like the butterfly. 

“Looking at the clouds again, I thought about all the people who had dreamed of how to construct something to get into the sky to take flight.  How awesome to have such big dreams and how much faith they must have had to pursue something that in some sense was so unimaginable, incomprehensible.  My own dreams seem so to me yet I keep pursuing them, even when I doubt them, even when I think perhaps I have misunderstood.”

Perhaps it was after that experience that I began to pay more attention to the clouds.  Truly I am fascinated by them, sometimes appearing “stalwart,” as though they are guarding the sky; sometimes scudding along as though they are in a great hurry to be someplace else; sometimes drifting aimlessly. Living now in Montana, in “Big Sky country,” I am forever intrigued by the immensity of the sky and the drama played out by the clouds. 

Yes, indeed, life is so rich when we pay attention!

May we be bearers of hope, the “wait staff” of Hope’s Café for each other and all those we encounter.  Shalom, Kate

Hope’s Café Bonus: I have dozens and dozens of beautiful cloud photos and I know I have uploaded photos to my posts before. But I have spent an entire evening attempting to upload a cloud photo. So for now, I leave you with this quote: “Clouds, they make a painting out of the sky.”—Marty Rubin