Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Tuesday Prayer

I heard a story about three bowls.

The first bowl is inverted, upside down, so that nothing can go into it. Anything poured into this bowl spills off.

The second bowl is right-side up, but stained and cracked and filled with debris. Anything put into this bowl gets polluted by the residue or leaks out through the cracks.

The third bowl is clean. Without cracks or holes, this bowl represents a state of mind ready to receive and hold whatever is poured into it.

Sometimes I am that first bowl, so busy being “productive” that I don’t notice when the very thing I want presents itself. Sometimes I am the second bowl, with such a fierce judging voice that focuses on what’s not working that I’m unable to see or appreciate all the things that are going well.

And sometimes, wonderful times, I am the third bowl, able to be present and absorbed in what I am doing, whatever it is.

by Sue Bender, from “Everyday Sacred: A Woman’s Journey Home”

5 comments:

Gannet Girl said...

And sometimes there is no bowl at all.

Our son's memorial service is today and I would appreciate prayers. If you would come over the my blog that would be wonderful.

Jennifer Garrison Brownell said...

we are there, gannet girl.

Mary Beth said...

We are there with you, GG.

Mary Beth said...

Praying also for the Vicar of Hogsmeade as she begins her PhD comps today...they will last for a week. She has a medical situation that makes this very challenging task even more so.

Theresa Coleman said...

My prayers will be with you, gannet girl.