Pandemic Reflections: What Extravagant Thing Have You Done?
On Spiritual Care Live this week, one of our chaplains asked, “what extravagant thing have you done recently?” It was somewhat tongue and cheek, since we are so limited these days with what we can “do.” And yet her question invited me to consider the things that delight me and bring me pangs of joy and connection, wonder and grace. Also I considered what I might be neglecting that needs to breath… to move though me like air.
A couple of years ago I read Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way”, and what I remember most is the author’s invitation to do an “Artist Date” every week. The “Artist Date” is a time during the week where you do something fun that is out of your normal routine. The idea of the “Artist Date” is to let ourselves play in a way that opens our imaginations. Last weekend I was sitting at the small pond across the street watching and filming the ducks with my 360 camera, hoping to get some nice footage to one day share with ElderPlace participants. As my son and I watched the ducks dance and play, I felt a pang of pure grace. In that moment I felt like saying “yes” to all things true and beautiful. I believe our imaginations are opened up when we say yes to our internal worlds that are always calling us to pay attention.
In the midst of this pandemic and isolation, are you finding ways to explore your internal landscape and open your wild and lovely imaginations, feeling all the feelings that make us human and alive? What are you finding?
I want to leave you today with a gorgeous quotation from Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead and one by Elizabeth Gilbert:
It was like one of those dreams where you’re filled with some extravagant feeling you might never have in life, it doesn’t matter what it is, even guilt or dread, you learn from it what an amazing instrument you are, so to speak, what power you have to experience beyond anything you might ever actually need. Who would have thought that the moon could dazzle and flame like that? (Marilyn Robinson)
One day you’re just a regular Joe, schlepping through your mundane life, and then suddenly- what is this?- nothing has changed, yet you feel stirred by grace, swollen with wonder, overflowing with bliss. Everything- for no reason whatsoever- is perfect- (Elizabeth Gilbert)