“You’re Not a Human Doing, You’re a Human Being”

My friend once said this to me and right there, in my kitchen, it set me free (thanks, Shelby).

Where she got it is a mystery, but if she was quoting someone else, I thank you, whomever you are.

The value in Washington, D.C. is what you’re “doing.” It’s often the first question you receive at a party, on a date, interview, or any meeting of a new person, really: “So, what do you do?”

“Well, actually, I do many things. I have many interests and simply CANNOT outline them here in a few short sentences.”

I went through some years where I practiced not “doing” where I could afford to—just to see what would emerge in that space. I don’t want to over-glorify the experience, for it simply is difficult (especially at first).

I found that the layer of mental barrage clears…where you hear things like: You’re wasting time, What ARE you doing?! There's nothing of value happening here—nothing ‘productive.’ If I sat there long enough, those thoughts would eventually clear and there was new space…new space to have something real emerge. Sometimes nothing at all would emerge, but that was okay too. That belonged too. 

What I found was that something was always happening. Some kinds of thoughts, feelings, prayers, or musings were always happening there. I began to see new life appear in the quiet, stillness, and solitude of life. Right where I was. I was just “being” and value would emerge. 

Another friend fondly said of her son, “My Johnny, he LOVES to waste time.” What struck me was that she said it with no disdain (maybe a little oddity, but coated with love). That changed me. Maybe there was some VALUE to be found in “wasting time.” (Interestingly enough, this little Johnny is now an artist–more on that later). 

I began to attune to things being created, action happening from a space of the sacred heart. That is, a place that wasn’t just “busy” or “fraught,” but a space that was intentional, decided—in touch with what was coming from the heart space. 

My friends at The Art of Growth put out a poem and a podcast series called, “Driven v.s Drawn.” What a fascinating concept to be led, instead of driving life from a white-knuckled, hard energy: always pushing—always “striving after the wind” (as Solomon from the Scripture says). 

For how many of the actions and tasks that we daily partake in, as habits, are made from fictitious expectations put on us from “society,” “others,” or “our mothers?” For me, I think these are expectations I began to make agreements with some time along the way that stuck with me—that still enslave me. These habits may have little value now to what is currently going on. “I must CLEAN this before I do that next thing.” Why?

May we have courage to be.

May we ditch fictitious expectations.

May we be in touch with the Spirit within that says, “This is the way, walk in it.”

May we live from every word from our Father in heaven.

What if our hearts, minds, and bodies really were aligned—in rhythm—in harmony?

I pray that we live from a place of “being.” 

In a sense, how can we not?! 

May we come to accept who we are so that our actions

are in harmony with our ideals. 

May all our doings flow from identity. 

You are a beautiful creation and you make beautiful things. 

May you be in rhythm with your true-self. 

Listening to the voice of love singing over you,

May you be at peace knowing that beautiful things will flow naturally from who you are. 

From your being. 

Love you!