So much of our own suffering

is a product of the angle of our lens. A little turn to tuning and I now can see. For everything there is a season, a time for sorrow and a time for joy. Clarity is not only a great gift, but the pathway to a heart that is grateful and seeking joy.

My family and I recently returned from a spring break vacation in the desert of California. We stayed in a brand new home beautifully appointed in desert colors and simplicity inviting our senses to the natural beauty of the desert's desolate surroundings. In our modern every day, life can become literally so cluttered and loud that our eyes have to glaze over and our hearing has to muffle in order to at times, preserve sanity. In that mode, we can easily get stuck in thoughts that continue to cause us suffering and since we are amazingly adaptive humans, we learn to live in the assault. We also learn to live apart from joy. When the angle of our lens adjusts, we finally can see. The simple, calm color palette and clutter free space ministered to me, a lens adjustment. Sometimes, strong opposition isn't an enemy but the kindest reminder that it's time for change. 

My truth. I've been grieving the loss of my old life for a long time. Gone are the days of children living at home, the school and the related social events, sports calendars calling the years to purpose. I no longer bring coffee to teachers, hands for helping in art classes, a voice to reading groups and a body for chaperoning. I no longer attend parent teacher conferences and back to school evenings. I don't throw extra blueberries into pancakes on test days and pray over try-outs. I'm no longer a part of choir boards, dance team parent gatherings and hosting formal dinners for formal dances for my children and all their friends! My house is quiet after it never was. And all of that, I've missed long enough. The calmness, peace and traquility I experienced inside this vacation house shifted my lens. I not only recognized my mind set on loss, but had the literal space to stop tripping over it. I stood in the kitchen with my young adult daughters, my solid rock husband, completely grateful for one another and for the life we each are living today. Living in my "loss mindset" was suffering. By God's Grace, gratitude took a hold of my reading glasses, a lens adjustment was finally in order. For all I got to do for so many days, months and years, I am supremely lucky, abundantly blessed. It was awesome and I am forever grateful! With a heart made tuned, I also recognized how tired I was from holding the weight of gripping sadness from living with a mind set on loss. 

When your lens adjusts and you can clearly see the dance you've been dancing,
it just might be time to change a dance step. 

I've been bagging up my pity party for the garbage man these last few days. I'm finally ready and in need of clear spaces to set up for a new party. 

When we fall out of a yoga pose, we have a moment between the falling and the resetting, or even the choice for it. It's in that pause, we can choose a lens adjustment. Ahhhhhhhhhh. Yoga. Not only does our practice increase our resiliency but is also makes us joy seekers. 🤓

It's Spring! It's time to renew, replenish, restore and replace winter's stagnancy. There's a time for everything under heaven. Now, is clearly the time for a new thing, more space and a whole lot more joy. I do so hope you'll join me. Let’s make it a movement.

Joy Seeker,

Jill 👓