Soul cleanse.
There are times I feel weighed down by all the responsibilities in my life. The fact that many of them are self assumed makes no difference. I am a husband, a father, a son-in-law, a brother-in-law, an uncle, a Doctor, a teacher, a friend.
To some I am a ‘wise man’ (whatever that means) and for some I am an inspiration. I am honored to fulfill all these roles, although often I struggle to do each of them justice.
It’s a lot to carry, and sometimes I find myself being weighed down with all that I feel I should be accomplishing. Do you ever feel this way? My guess is that I am not alone.
I think we all feel overwhelmed sometimes with the pressures of life.
This weekend for Mother’s Day, my wife and I went for a drive again into the mountains. Even though the road was a little slick from rain, and the sky was at times overcast, I still experienced that feeling of relief when, for just a little while, my responsibilities were reduced to just driving a car, and admiring the majesty of the river, the pine trees, the sky, the mountains, the snow and the quiet.
During one rainstorm, we exited the car, and I felt the simple joy of rain pouring down on me. The moment for me was like a soul cleanse, and I felt lighter, more at peace, and more firmly planted on my journey.
It was like the rain was washing away both the pressures of my life, and also the build up on my soul. Gone were the insecurities that cause me to doubt, the comparisons that make me feel less than I can be, the judgments that cause separation from those around me, and the selfishness that makes me hold back when I could give more of myself in service to others.
For a brief time, I felt like the world was simply there for me to experience and share. In wonder, I saw the mist through the mountains; in awe I saw the majesty of the pine trees; in rapture I listened to the river; and in peace I marveled at the simple beauty of life.
I returned at the end of the day to my normal life, which isn’t ‘normal’ at all. That’s the real beauty of a soul-cleanse…it helps you to see the things around you that are miraculous and beautiful.
I saw with a soul washed clean of fears and doubts.
I saw in wonder.
-- Dr. Alan Barnes
@maddrbmusings