Post by Rhonda on Jan 27, 2006 22:35:37 GMT -5
GET YOURSELF GROUNDED
When Dante knocked at the door of the Franciscan monastery at
Lunigiana he was asked, "What do you want?"
He replied, "Peace!"
I think he is speaking for all of us.
One winter I drove down the steep mountain road leading to my
home. Though I was traveling slowly, at one point I slid on the
ice and could not keep the nose of my vehicle pointed downhill.
No matter how I turned the wheel, the vehicle would not respond.
It slid sideways and in a moment I found myself facing uphill.
The mountain road was too icy and steep to go forward and too
narrow to turn around. So I backed down the hill until I reached
level ground.
My problem was traction. What had separated me from the dirt road
was a little bit of ice. If I could have only made contact with
the ground, just a fraction of an inch below, I would have been
safe and secure. I'd have remained in control. But my tires could
not touch the road and left me spinning helplessly.
Do you want peace? In this life, people who are not grounded are
not at peace. They are spinning out of control. When faced with
one of life's mountains, they frantically slip and slide, hoping
to grasp onto something firm, something real. Hoping for safe
footing.
Theologian Paul Tillich described God as "the GROUND of our
being." Someone poignantly said, "The issue of coping with life
is a spiritual issue." Only those who are well-grounded
spiritually can traverse the mountains of life in safety.
Nancy SantoPietro, in her book FENG SHUI: HARMONY BY DESIGN
says this: "In your lifetime the most sacred space you will ever
need to create is the space within yourself -- the place deep
within your soul where you go to find peace and serenity and to
connect with your true self. It's the quiet place inside where
you return over and over again that keeps your thoughts sacred,
your heart protected and your dreams alive."
This is the place where you are grounded. Get well-grounded and
you will find the peace you need.
Steve Goodier
__________
When Dante knocked at the door of the Franciscan monastery at
Lunigiana he was asked, "What do you want?"
He replied, "Peace!"
I think he is speaking for all of us.
One winter I drove down the steep mountain road leading to my
home. Though I was traveling slowly, at one point I slid on the
ice and could not keep the nose of my vehicle pointed downhill.
No matter how I turned the wheel, the vehicle would not respond.
It slid sideways and in a moment I found myself facing uphill.
The mountain road was too icy and steep to go forward and too
narrow to turn around. So I backed down the hill until I reached
level ground.
My problem was traction. What had separated me from the dirt road
was a little bit of ice. If I could have only made contact with
the ground, just a fraction of an inch below, I would have been
safe and secure. I'd have remained in control. But my tires could
not touch the road and left me spinning helplessly.
Do you want peace? In this life, people who are not grounded are
not at peace. They are spinning out of control. When faced with
one of life's mountains, they frantically slip and slide, hoping
to grasp onto something firm, something real. Hoping for safe
footing.
Theologian Paul Tillich described God as "the GROUND of our
being." Someone poignantly said, "The issue of coping with life
is a spiritual issue." Only those who are well-grounded
spiritually can traverse the mountains of life in safety.
Nancy SantoPietro, in her book FENG SHUI: HARMONY BY DESIGN
says this: "In your lifetime the most sacred space you will ever
need to create is the space within yourself -- the place deep
within your soul where you go to find peace and serenity and to
connect with your true self. It's the quiet place inside where
you return over and over again that keeps your thoughts sacred,
your heart protected and your dreams alive."
This is the place where you are grounded. Get well-grounded and
you will find the peace you need.
Steve Goodier
__________