Endings and New Beginnings and Everything in Between
Endings And New Beginnings And Everything In Between
It has been a challenging few weeks on this end. I’m happy to be back at the table with a cup of tea in my current favourite mug and some time to sit together and chat! Today I thought we would chat about Endings and New Beginnings and Everything in Between. You know the drill; grab your mug and your hot drink and let’s take a few minutes to encourage one another.
Clenched Fists
Things end. It is a fact of life. Next to things changing, things ending is probably one of the most fought against experiences we encounter. Although we long for adventure and new journeys and all the opportunities that are out there for us; we often cling tightly to what we already have. And in clinging tightly, our hands our preoccupied and we are unable to reach for that which is to come next. Clenched fists don’t allow for reaching out or reaching forward.
Unfurl Those Hands
On Dec 26th, 2013 I wrote a blog called: Unfurl Those Hands. This is an excerpt:
I have read in various places recently about unfurling our clenched hands……grace comes, but you must release that protective posture of clenched fists, unfurl those fingers and release that palm:
– release it to open and receive grace
– release it to reach out to another and lift them up
– release it to rise up and praise the Creator
– release it to open up your body, spirit and mind to the possibilities of truly living
Not existence, not surviving, but radical, arms and hands open wide, twirling barefoot in the grass, head back, abandoned laughter, don’t care who is looking, kind of living
We live in a clenched world. Look around, listen to the news, listen to the radio, and listen to the conversations that float around you – the world is an uncertain place; wars, harm, crime, illness, the unexpected, the unprepared. Underneath the masks of money and prosperity and “I’m OK” lies of North America, lies the dust of uncertainty. Am I safe, am I enough, what will tomorrow bring, what will the next 5 minutes bring, am I ready?
And so we protect ourselves; from others, from ourselves – from outside harm, from the harm that comes with self-doubt and guilt. And we begin to curl inwards. We self-protect. First, our hands become fisted – then our minds and spirits and even our physical bodies began to curl inward, taking up less space so as not to be noticed and therefore not a target. Fetal position – curled – protecting what we have so no one can take it away.
But in the process we become small. Physically we expose less of ourselves to the outside world. Then we began to close off our minds to the things around us. We bubble wrap our thoughts and beliefs and then our spirits begin to shrivel. And we are no longer living. We are only existing; surviving the day and the night to start all over again the next day. We are not living the arms and hand open wide, twirling barefoot in the grass, head back, abandoned laughter, don’t care who is looking, kind of life. Instead we are managing. The one foot in front of the other, one day at a time, I’m doing “OK” kind of life.
I Believe
I believe what I wrote about in 2013 is even truer today. We are a society that lives with clenched fists. Mostly unintentionally, but clenched nonetheless.
More and more I’ve come to understand that clenched fists makes us small; small thinking, small presence, small impact.
When it comes to endings, we often find ourselves holding on tightly to that which has run its course and needs to end.
Not Easy But Necessary
Are endings easy? No
Are endings necessary? Yes
Sometimes we have to let go of one thing to be open to the next thing. Sometimes we have to allow one door to close so the other door will swing open. Trying to prop open both doors at the same time leaves us unbalanced, literally and figuratively.
What I Know
So what is the answer? Even more, today, than I thought back in 2013, I believe that a commitment to “radical, arms and hands open wide, twirling barefoot in the grass, head back, abandoned laughter, don’t care who is looking, kind of living” is necessary.
Unfurled hands allow for opportunities. Unfurled hands allow grace to come in and fill up the empty spaces.
Some days in our wide-open living we will FEEL the grace ourselves.
Some day in our wide-open living the grace will be released for those around us.
Will it allows be easy? No.
Will it be worth it? Yes.
Will we understand it at the time? Kind of.
Will we grow to understand it more fully? Absolutely!
This Week!
This week I choose to “move radically, with my arms and hands open wide, twirling barefoot in the grass, head back, with abandoned laughter and don’t care who is looking, kind of living” into an ending. I will not clench my fists and hold on to the season that is over. I will be grateful for what has been, while slowly opening my hands to let it go. I will unfurl my hands, allowing grace for myself and those around me. I will allow this door to close so the next one can open. I will walk gracefully and with confidence towards the next new beginning.
Until Next Time
Well, it is that time again. An ending of sorts, all in itself.
This week, think a bit more about endings. What endings are you in the middle of? Will you choose to unfurl those hands? Will you choose “arms and hands open wide, twirling barefoot in the grass, head back, with abandoned laughter and don’t care who is looking, kind of living”?
I Would Love to Hear From You
Drop a note in the comments section below. I would love to hear from you! Be in touch and share your experience with endings and beginnings and everything in between. Let’s take this space and make it a place to share and encourage one another.
If you are interested in more Devotional reading, head over to my Facebook Page where you will find a Weekly Devotion early every Monday morning. Click here to go directly to Weekly Devotions with Laurie.
Until next time,
From my heart to yours!
Laurie
Love this!