“To see the preciousness of all things, we must bring our full attention to life.”
“Attention is the beginning of devotion.”
Last weekend I went to the Isabella Stewart Gardiner museum in Boston and was able to gaze upon orchids and other green plants in the indoor courtyard. In February, this is soul-filling. I thought, “They should let people come and meditate here before or after hours!” Then again, the whole museum is an invitation to meditation.
Isabella did not allow labels or explanations to be put near the paintings during her life or after. She wanted people to pay attention to their own experience of the art, without being influenced by others- or even historical information.
The Soul Matters theme for the month of March is “paying attention”. Here are a few of the reflection questions:
1. As a child, which of your senses was your favorite way of paying attention to a special place or time?
2. When growing up, what one or two things, above all others, did your family communicate were worthy of attention? (Beauty? Duty? Kindness? Humility? Honesty? Reputation? Education? Loyalty? Success? God?) 3. When was the last time paying attention left you astonished? How might you have more such moments in your life?
4. What in your life is hungry to be noticed?
There is so much noise and distraction and pain in our tumultuous world. Maybe March can be a month to notice where we put our attention, and when we need to shift our attention, and how we might do so.
Yours, still paying attention to the piles of snow,
Rev. Lee
To make an appointment with Rev. Lee, click here.
Email: RevLee@northparish.org
Phone: 978-687-7948