A beginning

“Take off your shoes. You’re on holy ground.”

“Don’t be so theatrical, God. The bush is neither burning nor being consumed.”

“Take off your shoes. You’re on holy ground.”

I eventually removed them. Socks too.

“Go. Come to the water.”

So I headed off to Water Lake. Immediately I began to admire the reflections: pastel blue sky, trees, the footbridge… Water Lake was a mirror. So I held it up like a mirror to myself and looked at myself. The old song came to mind, When I look at myself and see what you’ve done I should not be feeling crushed… I rejoiced! But the timid wild animal felt exposed down by the lakeside and quickly scurried back into the depths of the forest, singing with real joy Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven… The following year I reflected on this. There should be more. The timid wild animal needs to learn not to escape back to the shelter of the forest quite so hurriedly. And so this year it visited the exposed shore of Water Lake again. It wasn’t so bad. But if it was anything it was just a beginning.

(inspired by Strengthening the Soul of your Leadership by Ruth Haley Barton)