During the January blizzard that dumped so much snow on the Mid-Atlantic region I saw my first azalea blossoms of the year. It was one branch of pink flowers that couldn’t wait for spring. I enjoy living in a place that stays green all year round as opposed to my native Pennsylvania, which turns dark and gray all winter. Such colorful surprises in January are a joy.
I am fortunate that the walk from my office at Christ Church, Frederica to the church itself is arguably one of the most beautiful in the area. It was on that walk that I discovered my surprise azalea, although I almost missed it. One downside to being surrounded by such beauty all day long is the tendency to take it for granted. Occasionally I remind myself to look around – really look around - at the world around me. I get distracted in my own thoughts and undoubtedly walk right past all kinds of interesting and beautiful things. When visitors to the island remark on the beauty of the Spanish moss, which I regularly take for granted, it reminds me that my distraction, my ability to take such things for granted, is ongoing.
When I was in high school, I ran cross country. I was blessed with a fantastic coach who shepherded me through all four years on the team, teaching me a series of life lessons disguised as running advice. One of those lessons came in one of the first races of my freshman year. I was never particularly fast; running was hard work for me. It was also a kind of hell. I’ve always liked the idea of running and the way it feels when I stop. I can’t say it’s ever been enjoyable while doing it though, particularly at a race pace.
Somewhere in the middle of that race Coach started to run alongside me and told me to quit running with my head down. “Pick your head up,” he said, “and pay attention to what’s going on around you. You’re missing the race!” He told me to look ahead at the next runner, to not let them get away, and to look around to see where the runners behind me were. For the rest of the season he would repeat the lesson as needed. I still hear his voice as an adult.
There are times I find myself wanting to tell others the same thing: “Pick up your head. You’re missing your life!” Many of us go through periods where we put our heads down and just slog through our days, one after another, forgetting to pay attention to our actual life. We can lose track of all sorts of things: other people, the scenery, everything. It can be quite destructive. I’ve counseled people who have taken their spouse for granted and failed to see them after awhile. I’ve heard from parents, especially men, who regret missing their kids’ childhood while they were so busy with work. And if we want to talk about head-down distractions, smart phones have really thrown a wrench in the works in recent years.
I spend a good deal of time helping people cultivate a healthy spiritual life, and no matter how we go about it, it boils down to intention and attention. We must be attentive to the yearnings of our soul, and intentional about how we address them. If we’re not paying attention we will drift away from things, even things that at one time seemed impossible to lose track of. How could we possibly lose the ability to see our husband, or notice our growing daughter, or even lose track of God? It’s easier than we think.
I’ve been learning from and teaching the way of St. Benedict in recent years. Without going into too many details about Benedict (feel free to Google him), one of the hallmarks of his approach to a balanced life is the intention we put into seeking the holy things that surround us in life. Fifteen hundred years ago Benedict knew that you lose track of what you don’t pay attention to.
So, heads up, folks. I was surprised to see azaleas in January, but we’re getting into prime season for them now. Shame on you if you miss them this time (which is, by the way, impossible if you happen to visit the Wesley Memorial Garden later this month)! While you’re at it, don’t forget to pay attention to the rest of your life either.
