“Pray for the peace … For my brethren and companion’s sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.” — Psalm 122:6-8
It was a sunny Thursday morning when I set out to Tatyana’s cleaner with my stuffed yellow laundry bag. One block from the store I felt a sudden sharp twinge in my left foot — and could not put any pressure on it. Not quite sure how I walked back home (it seemed like an hour to walk four city blocks) but I sensed something inside my foot was awry.
Fast forward 48 hours and I found myself in a boot with a fractured neck-metatarsal bone and told by my foot Doc to be off-weight and at home for the next 3-4 days. At least! I felt as if my whole world became consolidated into a 12-foot diameter of daily life and self care.
Nowhere to go … nothing to do. Hmmm, was this my dramatic a-ha moment to explore Mother-Father God? Perhaps I had to “be still” in my own house. I became a captive audience of one — perhaps. One with God. Enter chattering chorus — stage left.
Ok, what’s that got to do with Lent? This incident happened in the heat of summer, and my Social Media Producer mind said this was not the right time to post a “forty-day version of rest, healing and inner work.” I was quite reluctant to go “within.” I mean, after all, I had so much to do and see and … well, you get the avoidance mantra sneaking in!
Was my mission in life now just to venture outdoors, get a cup of coffee at my fave “Porto Rico” and to justify to others that I do indeed exist? Yep, got my coffee, s-l-o-w-l-y walked back home — only to find myself within my four walls, to explore that peace that resides within me.
Amidst my quiet healing time at home, I began to wonder how each person I’ve encountered is also equipped with all space they need to prosper in their own palace of poise, power, and yes, Peace.
It appears to me that instead of going outside in the world to justify my routine called life, I’ve begun listening a whole lot more to the voice of God that always has been with me — Be still and know that I AM.
“Foot”note: Grateful to share that my foot is healing and supporting my inner peace as I walk each day with God.
