Clearing A Path

March 15, 2023

It took almost two days for the storm to wind down to a few floating flakes. Twelve hours into it, I took a shovel to the four inches of snow piled up on the front porch and the ten inches on the walkway. When another half a foot accumulated a few hours later, my husband cleared the porch and walk. The next morning, the walk was buried in another foot of snow. I pushed through the snow blocking the door and went out for round three of shoveling.

It took a lot of bending and heavy lifting to clear a path the first time, and all that work disappeared as the snow continued to fall. All that was accomplished with three rounds of shoveling was the restoration of a way in and out of the house. Such work is usually only noticed when it hasn’t been done, and the path is blocked.

I experience centering prayer in much the same way – a lot of work without much in the way of discernible accomplishment. But it keeps the way clear, getting me beyond my own small internal world and allowing me to welcome others into it. And that is no small thing…

The Path Through

Letting go of what doesn’t matter: some tangible gain for my every effort.

Loving what does: anything that gets me beyond my own small world – and allows others into it.

One thought on “Clearing A Path

  1. Robin Nielsen

    A wonderful job done shoveling the walkway!! So much work!!
    So far here no major snowfall this winter; not sure yet if there will be major snow still in March, with 9 more days to go. Then there is April…you never know about a snowy Easter. Back in April 1982 we were living in our apartment on Oak Street. My first trimester was passed, due to have our baby (Kristel) in September/October. We had a major snowfall, so much snow that with my attempts to help shovel and not knowing where to put all the snow, i had to stop and let my husband or our landlord take over.
    Snowfall in the mountains and coastal snow storms…Mother Nature is in charge. Welcome !! peace, Robin

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