I looked up from lunch with a good friend and saw the sign. In contrast to the nice seating, service with a smile, and great food, the sign looked like it was drawn up quickly by someone annoyed and in a hurry. Other than it appeared to be a clean piece of cardboard, nothing was consistent with our lunch and its setting. My initial reaction was that I could ignore the message, yet something told me this would be a mistake. This sign was from the heart. It carried a statement, warning, and promise of action within its freeform drawing and black and white words.
With a new morning’s soft light complemented by gentle breezes, I am reminded that messages come in all shapes and sizes. Some are formal and authoritative. Others are subtle, seemingly innocuous and easy to miss. I catch myself deferring to the messenger, if the right person making a slick presentation is more credible than the sign on a piece of cardboard high on the wall of a restaurant. As I give time and space to Life’s whispers, I find insights for the day ahead.
Wisdom is found everywhere. I hear it most frequently in the simple things of life. Cardboard messages, cans of soda, and even simple signs of being open and closed point me to truths I can use to be more intentional and purposeful. My messages and signs are not yours! With stories to share, others remind me that Divinity is alive, communicating, and guiding everyone willing to slow down, use one’s awareness to reveal insights, and to take the insights into the steps at hand.
Divinity has many names. The caveat is that not everyone who presents herself/himself as divine is truly divine. When I hear, “Call me ‘the Quester.’ I’ve been king over Israel in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:12), I am reminded to trust and verify. I am responsible for the advice I accept and how I use it, if at all.
Every day in life comes with messages. What happens with them is part of my story.
