February 21, 2008

Running Streams and Still Pools

This posting is going to be half book-review/recommendation and half prayer. I'm about two-thirds of the way through the book Eat, Pray, Love. It is about a young woman who spends a year in three places: Italy (eat), India (pray), and Indonesia (which I'm assuming is going to be the love piece although I haven't yet gotten that far). A really easy read with some really great lines and insights. Pieces about enjoying life, doing things that one might not ordinarily do and being okay with that, letting go, finding one's authentic self, etc. all wrapped up in a hint of sarcasm and full of real-life.

As I transition from one place to another, I lose focus easily and feel all jumbled up until I settle again. My trend has been always to fill space and time with something--it's easier that way. But, the piece from the book (God speaks in so many ways when I'm paying attention) that stuck with me last night went something like..."You cannot see your reflection in a running stream, only in a still pool." So, hopefully today will be one of moments and nows, not whens and ifs. When I am truly in the moment, very rarely is life ever anything but gift and gratitude.

--Sarah

7 comments:

  1. Your phrase, "truly in the moment" reminds me of a really old book, "Abandonment to Divine Providence," by an author named de Caussade (sp?). He talks of the sacrament of the present moment. I read it years ago, and it's made a big impression on my life.

    Today's an icy, sleety day, so much has stopped here. We had a beach party for lunch, with beach balls, etc.

    Love, Mary Ann H.

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  2. The pool that is still too long becomes stagnant...diseased and dead and dry. Without the rush of the river stream, the flood never replenishes the plain, never nourishes the coastal waters of the sea. There must be that balance between stillness (peace) and change. You always find your balance. Still waters can run deep.

    Peace, GM.

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  3. Sarah,
    Such wise words you reflect to us.... Along the say lines
    Sr Marian Cowan CSJ made a lovley banner which hung in the house of Prayer when I was in the noviate at Carondelet. It read, "Be still and know that I am God."
    I have never forgotten that phrase and peridically in the fleury of activity and life. I stop and remember and say YES once again.

    Be still,
    Nancy in Atlanta

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  4. Wonderful Blog :) thankyou may God use all you write to bless many people :)

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  5. I was tempted to write you and tell you a pool can be deep and dangerous. It is my opinion that (like anything else) one should probably have a good balance of the stream and pool as one can drown in their own pool no matter how deep. (I believe GM's message is similar) I know you have that balance Sarah - That balance is different on everyone's individual scale. I think we all need to know our scale. There are many reflections in a running stream - they are just interpreted differently by each person looking at it. Dad

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  6. Good to catch up with your running streams and still pools - both are unique beauties.
    Peace,
    Amy

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  7. hi sarah from grandmary

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