Even in the midst of chaos, God speaks in 4 languages.
I wake up at 6:30 in the morning and head to Starbucks for my daily cup of joe. I arrive at my office at 6:45 AM, which is a condo on a golf course; just 100 feet from the fifth green. I head directly for the porch and take off my shoes. And then, in the early morning sanctuary of this peaceful and pristine environment, I take my cup of coffee and, barefoot, walk an hour on the golf course.
I listen to the magical sound of birds singing and chirping. Other than the ibises, woodpeckers and blue jays, I don’t know the names of the dozens of different birds that speak to me as I walk. Before humans, they didn’t have names, so names are not important to me; their singing is. If I didn’t have the gift of my hearing, I’d sorely miss this extraordinary symphony.
The grass is soft, moist and pleasant to the touch. Sometimes after a good night’s rain or when the sprinkler system waters the golf course, my feet sink into puddles and the cool water on my feet are massaging gifts. My feet feel liberated from the dry, claustrophobic condition they must endure all day when I pack them into those things called shoes. I also feel the humidity of the early morning Florida air; and it feels invigorating not oppressive. If I didn’t have the gift of touch, I’d sorely miss this feeling.
I see squirrels playing everywhere; like young kids on a playground. I see the sun rise out of nowhere to shine upon the treetops and the roofs of the houses that line the golf course. I see alligators in the ponds peering out at me. I have to admit, I enjoy seeing alligators; but from a respectable distance. They are a little creepy to me. Around 7:30, the workers fire up their lawnmowers and begin to cut the grass. Their presence doesn’t disturb me. I am grateful that they take such good care of this very special place. If I didn’t have the gift of my eyesight, I’d sorely miss seeing all of this.
As I walk and sip my coffee, I know I am not alone. But I don’t talk to God, I listen. I walk knowing he will deliver whatever messages I need to receive for the day. I have no expectations, I just allow him to speak to my heart. I’ll know if he has any lessons I need to learn, words I need to write, or things I need to do for the day; he’ll communicate them to me. I allow myself to just ‘be’. In partnership with my creator, this is not just a walk on the golf course; it’s a dance with life. This is my hour of the day to be one with peace. This is my one hour of the day that I experience total and uninterrupted tranquility (cell phones are NOT allowed on this walk). If I didn’t have the gift of this one hour, I’d sorely miss the meaning of the day.
Yes, I could skip the walk, buy a newspaper at Starbucks, and read about all the chaos going on in the world. I live in Florida and could read about the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf on the west coast, the 50,000 people being laid off at Cape Canaveral on the east coast, and the anticipated hurricane season that just began. But you see, I choose not to focus on this to begin my day. No, I am not naïve; nor am I oblivious to the problems we face. But for this one hour of the day, I am simply grateful for being alive, for being able to see, hear, feel, and experience the glory of the moment – and to use this solitude and calm, to make the rest of the day the very best it can be.
I do not have to be in Florida to experience this; nor do I need a particular season to dance this daily one-hour dance. I can walk in the snow, in the leaves of fall, and in the rain. You see, God speaks in 4 languages; winter, spring, summer and fall. Wherever you are and whatever you are experiencing, you too can spend an hour to listen, see, touch, and smell all that your senses can take in – and escape from the chaos of life for a while. If your body is unable to take you for a one-hour walk, your mind certainly can. So, take off your shoes, take a walk, and take a break from all the negative ‘stuff’ that we all pay too much attention to; and experience all that you are missing before it’s too late. And keep in mind that in the end, the best things in life… aren’t things.