I wake to a day where I know I need to write. I have three presentations, one position paper, and a cheat-sheet that should be drafted and sent by the time I go to sleep tonight. As I gently let go of these and reflect, I find myself aware of the insights that already sit within me. In the main, I know what I need to say. While I am open to understanding more, there is enough currently on the table to present the key message points.
I realize that getting to this point did not occur quickly. The foundation evolved as I became increasingly aware of the situation and the opportunity. The starting point is always a desire to know. Without that, awareness is not going to follow.
I find myself reflecting on the military commander’s model. His words remind me of the need to act, watch, and reflect. “Wanting to know what he [Paul] had done wrong, I had him brought before their council. It turned out to be a squabble turned vicious over some of their religious differences, but nothing remotely criminal.” (Acts 23.27)
The questions that greet me each morning are simply, yet difficult if I honestly answer.
Do I want to know more?
Am I willing to listen with an open spirit of learning and understanding?
Will I choose to remain present in the moment?
It is easy to hear myself expressing caveats and defensive explanations. There are many reasons that my answers could be conditional. Demands and accountability push me to multi-task and worry about the past or future. As rationale as each response is, the simple questions remain. Will I be present? Am I open? Do I want more?
I am coming to believe that any answer that resembles “no” is not sustainable. I feel a heart tug to be present, open, and thirsty for more. I hear a call to a greater truth than what I know. I feel the invitation to a community beyond what I can see. There is more.
Today’s awareness is a living invitation.
