The Learning Curve

For the past couple of years, I've been doing something special in this space on Fridays. Two years ago, I was writing Communion devotionals. Last year, I used Fridays to introduce you to some folks who have played a role - big or small - in my life and the lessons that I want to hold onto from them. 

As the new year starts to settle in, I have been wondering what I want to do this year. And I think....I want to learn.

I want to use this space on Fridays to tell you something I've learned this week. Whatever it is. Big or small. Serious or silly. Because I think it's too easy to go through our lives without really paying attention, never doing anything different, never recognizing the things that are right in front of us. 

I know it is for me. I know that I will have a lesson right in front of me, think I've got it, then blink, and it's gone. Or I'll discover something that I am certain will change my life only to immediately go back to life as I've known it. 

Because auto-pilot is easy. Because the status quo is easy. Because learning new information is easy, but actually incorporating it into your life is hard. 

So maybe if I take the time to stop and reflect, if I intentionally live with my eyes wide open because I know I have a space to fill every week, maybe I'll actually learn something this year. Maybe I'll be able to put something into practice. 

This is also the gift of my new friend, Silly Goose. As you may know, I lost my best friend - Sister Mary Thunder - a few months ago. Despite my best efforts with her as a pup, she simply had an anxious disposition and always required some special care and handling. I have spent must of the past twelve years mitigating the scary things in the world for her, having to live with my eyes open to the things that she might think of as threats. After she went blind and traffic became an even bigger fear for her (hearing the cars, but not being able to see them), for example, I had to assure her every single day on our walk that I was taking her "the not-scary way" - down an alley before we got to the main road. 

But Goose...Goose doesn't have any of that. Goose is ridiculously curious. Heard a noise? What was that!! Let's go check it out! See something new happening outside? Let's go investigate. Is that a human on the sidewalk? We must be friends! Goose has her eyes wide open to the world, and she's begging me to come along with her. 

And I'm ready. 

Since my first unit of chaplain's education thirteen years ago, I have tried to adopt a lifestyle of curiosity. I have tried, as my group did back then, to make it a core value for me. I have a vinyl print on my wall that says, "Blessed are the curious for they shall have adventures." 

This year, I want to have adventures. 

And if I can stay engaged, stay locked in, stay learning, then I want to share some of those adventures with you on Fridays. 

We'll see how it goes.