Have you every noticed when someone is going through a hard time, even you perhaps, the common saying is “I can’t wait to get my life back”.   Other times people tend to want to get their life back is when they have children…  “I can’t wait to get my body back after the pregnancy”, I can’t wait till they sleep through the night, start walking, talking, gain independence, leave for school, leave the house…”. These moments of wishing things to be different, are like denying reality itself.  You might have heard me express that when we are not in touch with our reality, no matter how awful we may think it is, we suffer, we suffer more than the perceived awfulness! 

So, last week I was in the ER with a family member, yup a full 12-hour overnighter.  A situation many would perceive as truly awful and would find themselves wishing they were anywhere else but there, particularly home in bed.  I admit I probably waxed in that direction a moment or two, but there is something about an ER visit with a family member that brings me right into present moment reality.  These times that I have had with many a family member always have a sacredness to them.  Almost as if time had stood still for this divine encounter with the beloved.  Despite the bleakness of the room, there was a beauty, a glow to my beloved’s face and yes God was in the room.   In the craziness of the ER… drunk acting out teenager in the next room, I heard someone say, “wherever you are, there you are.”  Honestly, I do not know who said this maybe the ignored sweet old man in the next room that I wanted to attend to.  But wow, how poignant.

  Some of you might know those very words are a bestselling book title by Jon Kabat Zinn.  In that moment, I felt affirmed by the universe, there we were. Later, I searched quotes from Jon Kabat Zinn, who is the creator of the mindfulness-based stress reduction program based out of Umass Medical Center in Worcester, MA and an author of many books other than Wherever you go, there you are.   He says this:  If we hope to go anywhere or develop ourselves in any way, we can only step from where we are standing. If we don’t really know where we are standing… We may only go in circles…” So true, we must be grounded in the ‘naked now’ as Fr. Richard Rohr likes to say and another aptly named book title!  Fighting with your present reality is the opposite of spiritual growth.  JKZ also says this: Trust in your deepest strength of all: to be present, to be wakeful.  It is a practice isn’t it to be present, but JKZ whispers to us that it is also our deepest strength. 

Now if we can also wake up to the strength of God within us and for us, we will truly tap into an ever-present resilient resource that was freely given to us and lives within us.  Now say that again “wherever you are, there you are” like you are surrounded by and infused with God’s love and light emanating from YOUR very soul.  When we encounter all of our life in this way, there is no wishing for things to be different or to fast forward or rewind because this just isn’t possible, it is not real, we encounter God in the present and he provides all of it for our growth.

Paul in his letter to the Philippians speaks of this sort of present moment awareness and trust is God.  Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.- Philippians 4: 11-13.   This reminds me of one of the niyamas (ethical guidelines from the yoga sutras) called santosha.  Santosha is translated often as contentment, but the type of contentment that Paul speaks of.  Contentment that is not achieved by getting everything we want including a full belly and a warm house, it is a contentment that is found when we embrace the moment just as it is.

I was also drawn to Matthew 6 where Jesus tells his followers how to pray in the Lord’s prayer.  I site the first two verses; Our father in heaven hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  -Matthew 6 : 10-11.  I love that the way Jesus starts to pray is with gratitude and recognition of the Father and his kingdom.  I do try to mirror this in my prayer life before I offer up an urgent request, I thank Him for his presence, His world (kingdom) and aim to trust His ways above mine.  As Jesus says it is His (God’s) kingdom and His will to be done here on earth, where we stand in the now with Him.   When he says Give us this day our daily bread, I sense he is speaking about way more than physical nourishment.  Our daily bread to me implies our life just as it is, all of our moments and experiences, the so called good, the bad and the neutral, food or fuel for our own spiritual growth. 

When we move into challenging seasons and moments, I think it is important to find a sense of acceptance.   Elkhart Tolle another modern mystic reminds us that we should accept — then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it.  He reminds us that although some situations may appear negative on the surface level, later we accept that this event has created space for something new.   It is interesting that when we honestly look back at our lives the most challenging, heart wrenching times have helped create more space for compassion in our own hearts for ourselves and our suffering and for others.  

The challenges create depth of character so we can truly stand with wisdom and grace in whatever arises.  Referencing back to the wisdom of Jon Kabat Zinn he speaks to this rooted knowing of ourselves and the deepened spirituality this brings.   Perhaps the most ‘spiritual’ thing any of us can do is simply to look through our own eyes, see with eyes of wholeness, and act with integrity and kindness.  The eyes of wholeness.  Or dare I say holiness so we can see beyond our limited perception of this messy moment.   We graciously receive our daily bread, whatever flavor it might be.  We accept that all moments will ultimately nourish us on the spiritual journey and that these moments unfolds one blessed moment at a time.