The day began with an exploration of the idea of articulation–a morning reading to send the mind in a new direction.
Reading Mark Nepo’s Seven Thousand Ways to Listen, I am inspired pretty much each day but this particular entry really stood out. Exploring the word, the idea, and ending with a challenge:
Saying what we see, openly and without judgement, is imperative if we are to grow from aspects of life that are not us. Paradoxically, saying what we see is a fresh way of listening. It is how the soul puts things out in the open so we can begin to make sense of them. It is the first step in bearing witness.
I set my intention for the day and walked out into the world. And I articulated what I saw (in my head…not out loud…you’re welcome).
In the produce aisle at the grocery store I surveyed the fresh corn–it’s July here in Wisconsin and, well, corn is a thing. I love how there’s a barrel to shuck into so you can get that done at the store. Lost in my shucking, I heard a voice, “Hello! How are you?” I looked up to see a rather disheveled older man standing there. His greeting was so familiar–I wondered if we’d met before? Not particularly good with names and faces, I hurriedly fished through my mental file cabinet, searching for a connection but coming up with nothing. “Am I in your way?” I asked, noting my oversized minivan of a shopping cart, blocking half the aisle. He looked me in the eye and said “No” and paused a minute. “I’m just lonely and I wanted to say hello.” “Oh, hello!” I replied and we smiled.
I took a quick assessment of what had gone through my mind, within the tiny interaction. Distrust, suspicion. That note of “why is this guy saying hi to me?” I felt ashamed.
A few aisles further we met again. “Why hello!” I greeted him. “Well, hello!” he replied, “I haven’t seen you in ages!” “I know!” I said “it’s been, what, 3 minutes or so?! Seems like forever!” We laughed together this time and I noted how the distrust was gone. We were no longer separate but together in the brief conversation. “Well, I’ll see you soon!” I offered, as I pushed my cart forward. He smiled “yep, see you in a few aisles!”
Yesterday afternoon, on an exit ramp, I chose the right hand lane for the ability to turn right on red at the end of the ramp. I was third in line. The road ahead was clear, no cars coming, yet the little Toyota in front stood still, waiting for the light to change. I noticed the frustration rising within myself. “Go!” I said, within the walls of my car. I took a few deep breaths, reminding myself that the extra minute, in the grand scheme of things, meant nothing. Finally, the light turned green. Shifting lanes, I ended up stopped next to that front car at the next light. A Latino man and woman occupied the car, talking with one another in the front seats. And the memories of a press conference the night before came flooding back. I’d listened to two women tell their stories of the desperation they’d experienced and continued to experience at the hands of ICE. Families torn apart at the whim of our current administration. Feeling powerless and so sad. And I wondered as my viewpoint shifted–if I were concerned about being pulled over, knew families who feared being pulled apart or if my own were in jeopardy, would I be extra careful to follow every rule, especially if the rules seemed to shift at the whim of our government? You bet I would. I have no idea what the situation was with the couple in the car but suddenly, other possibilities arose and my frustration vanished.
And walking with my friend Tammy through the arboretum in the afternoon sun, we swatted bugs while appreciating the summer abundance–tall prairie flowers and milkweed punctuated with black eyed susans. The plants were almost as tall as we were, creating a natural curtain to either side as we walked. A rustling in the grasses startled us and a deer peered out, quietly watching us as we passed. She moved on. Life all around, life right under our noses that needed to rustle to gain our attention.
Articulation. I’ll try it again today. Not necessarily a saying of everything we see but an enhanced experiencing of what’s going on around us. We’re told to take notice, to live each experience but I find that reminders like these shine a new light on what it is to live in community.
3 Responses
This was the first thing I read today, thank you for sharing this.
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Thanks for putting me on to what sounds like a wonderful book. Who doesn’t need to be a better listener!
Wonderful! Thanks Margaret. I’ve been saving this to read for “When I have time.” So glad I finally got to it.