Beside Restful Waters

Chastity 3

Last week, the perspective of chastity ended with focus on surrender. We discover that in the act of surrender, we become. When I surrender, or practice gratitude, I become grateful. In the surrender to, or an act of love, we become loving. It doesn't make sense to me, but I am becoming more and more aware of this reality.

"... awareness is one of the greatest gifts you can bring to our friendship."

So says my friend, Fr. Richard Rohr.

Most of us have experienced time with friends and loved ones when we know that they are distracted. I may be thinking of the day ahead of me, or the argument from the previous day, or one of us is on line with a game or Facebook......... We just are not connected.

There are so many distractions in life that we are not present, we are not aware of the one we are with. We see it, we feel it, and in honesty, we are angered by it. Yet we are disconnected.

Chastity, I believe, is the ultimate act of awareness. As I surrender my distractions, I become fully present to you. In this presence, I am more fully connected to our relationship. Your joy, your pleasure, your honor becomes the center of my focus.

Suggestion:

Bring to mind your most recent experience of awe and wonder. What was it?

Bird song?

Sunrise?

A child's laughter?

Someone's smile?

A heart to heart connection?

Think of the moment of awareness. Focus was totally outside of self yet the wonder and awe was fully experienced within. That, I believe, is the experience of chastity. I have a moment of full surrender. I observe joy of another. I am filled with wonder and awe.

It's not about me, but it is fully experienced by me.

It must be love.

We seek to be loved and we know it when we surrender to it.

Why then, does it seem so difficult to be loved?

Well, that is the topic of several libraries full of self-help books. We can share further on that next time. For today, I'll rest in the challenge to practice awareness, mindfulness.

Yes, many of my experiences of awe and wonder are near and in the restful waters. Where are yours?

Let's practice, and become restful.

Namaste'