Paradise

The beginning of this week saw me looking for escape....a way to run away from life, forget my worries and stress, not having to make decisions and just be. I found a song “Knee deep” that I continuously played (my apologies to my neighbours and co-workers). Its words somehow sent me on a mission...that all I had to do was be knee deep in water somewhere, lose myself and I would find the peace and paradise that I was craving.  So I rounded up a couple of friends, planned a beach outing for the weekend and waited with great hope and anticipation.

The day has now come and gone. It was wonderful, fun, relaxing and somewhat peaceful. It passed all too quickly. I found myself twice walking what seemed like miles out across the sand to the water. I waded up to my knees and well past my knees honestly expecting something to happen. Nothing did and I was not at all shocked by this but at the same time I kept hoping something would....I wanted to feel something whether it be peacefulness , a calming or a great sense of joy. I looked around at the mountain tops still covered in snow, I breathed in the wonderful ocean smells and listened to the quiet gentle waves as the tide came in. It was wonderful, I tried to be thankful for all of this and but something was missing. The day itself was great, good food shared with friends, stories told, laughs shared and as a souvenir I have wonderfully painful sunburn and look like a cooked lobster. I never found what I was looking for and life has carried on. As much as we all want to run away from life from time to time I guess we eventually have to come home.

This morning I watched the funeral service for Jack Layton that I had missed yesterday. I have never heard such an inspiring memorial service. It truly has me believing that we can change this world and it be a place for all people to live free and peaceful lives. 

So now once again I am hopeful. I am thinking I missed the importance of the words in the song....it was more than being knee deep in water. Maybe it is in the words “when you lose yourself you find the key to paradise”. So I shall take Jack’s inspiring words that we can change the world, go to church and sit  in the quietness of the sanctuary, lose myself in God’s love and just be.  I realize now that finding the “key” is not going to happen in an hour, a day or a year but just maybe with love, hope and optimism I can change the way of how I live and maybe a teeny tiny bit of the world at the same time. Then hopefully the day will come when we no longer crave a sense of paradise but can be peaceful in life just as it is.

On a funny note, the song talks about how are only worries will be whether the tide will reach our chairs. Well years ago when my children were little we would spend some holiday time out on the beaches of Parksville, where I continually was worried that the tide would come in and our stuff would get wet. I would worry and fuss until my family grudgingly agreed to move our chairs in from near the water. Looking back now, how silly, wet beach items are all small stuff and hey it might have been fun to try and outrun the tide!

p.s. have returned from church....was a very political sermon due to Jack's death. Good but too political for this gal...I think next time I shall be like my friends and find God out on the trails amongst the trees!....Blessing from Linda...who is still searching....

Simple with Humility

Returning from a week’s holiday one would think I would have lots to blog about but I am not sure how one writes about a week of relaxing in the sun, sharing good food and laughter with new friends.  So instead I shall share a bit about a book I read while laying on the beach in the sun. The book is titled “Joshua” and is a parable about Jesus’ life and written by a retired Catholic priest, Joseph Girzone. It is very simply written and a good reminder of how God wants us to live. The story of is of a man, Joshua, who comes to small town, a wood worker by trade and through his conversations with the town folk he reminds the people of Jesus’ message to us “that all people are free, free to enjoy being God’s children, free to grow and become the beautiful people God intended.” He goes on to say how “real religion is in people’s hearts, not in buildings”. The story talks about churches and how some leaders try and control their congregations and rule them as if playing God, how God never intended us to worship in such a structured way. The book of course ends with some of the religious leaders who fear Joshua, calling him to counsel and after sharing his beliefs with them, Joshua, of his own choice quietly disappears.   In some ways Joshua’s wonderful connection with God and nature reminds me of the minister of the church I attend. His gentle ways, his openness to all people and their faiths and the way he lives a simple and humble life, is truly how God intended us to be.

I was very surprised to find this book, which does not show the better side of the Catholic faith, was written by a Catholic priest. He obviously lived his life under the strict structure of the Catholic Church and yet it couldn’t have been an easy time for him if he truly believes the teachings of Jesus that he has shared in his book.

The story in many ways saddened me because what he wrote of was so very true. How churches and people are so divided and how people use their power over others instead of us all living an equal life where there is food and shelter for all. Our lives should be simpler, our needs much less, but society has us all wanting more. More things for our homes, better vehicles, well just plainly, more stuff. I am as guilty as the next person. But the book also was inspiring and gave me hope. It was good to hear the goodness of us all in Jesus teachings. In my heart I know I just need to walk along the trails or sit by the ocean in solitude, in order to connect with God and enjoy all of creation.  The inner peace and freedom we all crave will not come to us through obtaining more stuff, taking more holidays, having more friends, being busier than we need to be, but it will come to us from inside. All we have to do is open our hearts and just be, surrounded by the spirit of God’s love for all. Live a simple life with humility and openness.