Dr. Wayne Dyer once shared how he believed he had a conversation with the divine source before his soul entered the vessel. He referred to this source as “God”. So, he says, when God asked his soul, “What do you want to learn when you go to earth?” Dr. Dyer says he answered, “resilience”. He shares how he believes that God then said to him, “You want to learn resilience?” and promptly set in motion that Wayne lived in orphanages for the first many years of his life.
What is it we are set to learn when we arrive here on this planet? I am beginning to think my lesson is patience. In my years growing up, my mother always said, “if you could just content yourself ….” And then finished the sentence with whatever she finished with and I never knew what she meant then, but I do now!
Today, I am on round two of my coffee journey. I got up early, well early for retired people, about 7:30 AM to the rapid tapping of a woodpecker. This woodpecker is the epitome of “banging one’s head against a brick wall” because this beautiful little woodpecker chooses each day to tap on the vinal siding of the house. We hear it regularly. I was prompted to get up and see if I could see them. I had already put the kettle to boil the water, so it was hot. I poured a little of last night’s tea in a cup, added hot water, bundled in my old robe and flannel pants I went out on the deck and there they were. Literally banging their head against the vinal siding. Interesting. It does not go on for long, a few rapid drill routines and then poof, off they go! Maybe remembering, “oh yes, this is a less than fruitful venture!”
I walked the property on this beautiful morning and watched the school bus go by, heard the birds chirping, watched a little light snow drift into this above freezing morning and consumed my barely flavoured hot water. I had a moment with the earth and my soul soared. It was lovely, my patience paid off as many birds flitted and flew and the soundlessness was enchanting.
I came in and thought, “okay I am ready for coffee now!” I think I have shared my next daily task that requires patience. My pour over coffee routine. The little pod machine sits there every day trying its best to entice me to use the compostable pods I have found, purchased, and keep for utter emergency use! But I do not give in. My gift to Mother Earth is to use grounds and a filter! I warmed the water once again, measured the coffee into the filter, poured over and waited. While I waited I stretched, reached and did some deep knee dips. I rolled my ankles, lifted onto tippy toes and went from my small 5’3” frame into a 6-foot giant reaching as far as I could overhead. I tapped the filter because it does stall sometimes. The aroma was wonderful. In time, all was ready and I took my fresh brew to my sitting space, ready to do my reading.
I set down my coffee and then went for my lap pillow and my laptop as I was going to work on the bulletin for Sunday’s reflection time. As I took the pillow and the laptop, went to my chair, went to turn around, a wee voice in my head said, “be careful don’t knock over your …. Cof…” Too late! The pillow corner caught the cup and sent it on its side, pouring the contents all over the table and spilling onto the floor.
Now this is where I will stop and tell you, I think I am achieving the goal of learning patience because that liquid while pouring, seeping and dripping all over my table top and over the knitted items I had beside the table and leaking to the floor to then venture over to the books that were laying there on the floor, I watched patiently as if I needed to allow it the space and time to do its job. It was like my patience had overflowed like the spilled coffee. No expression, no fear, no clenching of the gut, just watching and saying to myself, “well darn, that’s a mess!”
It was then I sprang into action and moved the books not yet soaking up the nectar of the grounds. It was then I folded the cloth on the table up to dam the tide. It was then I took to the bathroom and went to grab towels, only to say, “not those, it will stain!” Heading for the kitchen I took the time to grab the older tea towels and bring them back to begin the clean-up. It was a surreal moment in time.
This all to say, I am learning patience. Not only am “I” learning it, that which is watching me learn, is seeing that “I” am learning patience. The ‘Me, Myself and I’ trio are all in glee like the trilogy watching as this soul and body work together to fulfill this mission here on earth. Like my grandson’s light show, which is the dance party of my dreams, I watch the changing colours, learn to listen to my life these days, and in doing so I can take so much more in stride, no stress and with love, compassion and empathy.
#breakingstibah 