Serenity

Lent day 15- #UULent reflection word: Serenity

Oooooh that sounds so nice, doesn’t it? Serenity. It sounds ethereal and floaty and soft. As I wrap another long day with an endless to-do list in preparation for my sabbatical (T minus 6 days), serenity feels like a far away fairy land!

And frankly, the way my life operates, especially with 2 kids and a full time working spouse, serenity is not something we achieve all that often. Our culture does not encourage this pursuit (even as we might support green spaces meant to offer serenity).

All of our to-do lists are too long and rest it too scarce. The world is biking over with existential threats far beyond our control and it’s shaking us to our core. Why should we pursue serenity when others are being bombed and targeted and silenced?

Let us remember that our well-being, our serenity feeds the whole.

It may only be possible in small moments. In the next breath. In the pause between doing the dishes and falling into bed. Take it, claim it whenever you can. For me it comes in glancing at a beautiful full moon. Or taking a walk between meetings or laying on the floor with all three dogs or family movies night with popcorn and blankets. Each moment offers a chance at serenity and I add them all up until the larger stretches of serenity will do doubt present themselves.

And because I let myself practice serenity, I know it’s possible and I use it to fuel my hope of bringing it more fully into being for all people and all of creation.
​
Here is a full moon. It is offering Serenity for as long as you’ll take it. Just look up.

---