Starting Where I Stand

Where are you standing?  Really.  Right now, stop what you are doing, stand and take notice.  Maybe this is a new thing for you to take stock of your surroundings.  Look all around you.  What do you notice?  What can you see?  Notice the physical place; it's smells and  sights and the textures.  Are you alone?  Are you in a place filled with people?  Can you only see 15 feet in front of you or miles to the horizon? Close your eyes.  What do you hear?  Is your world so quiet you can hear the hum of the fridge or the whoosh of the ceiling fan above you?  Are you surrounded by the clang of e-trains and noisy sound traffic or children playing?  Can you hear the birds sing their melodic melody or the brush of the wind through the tree limbs and leaves?   Where are you standing?

Progress begins with noticing where you stand. Some people never stand. They are pushed back and forth by circumstances or the opinions of others or fear of what it means to stand. Maybe they stand for a little bit, but when a wave of dissension hits them and for whatever reason, they are knocked out of the place where they once tried to stand. They find that standing still is harder work than they imagined. Some might be having a sit-in. Standing is too hard. Standing is a frightening idea for the brave and courageous. Standing takes energy that they don't have. Perhaps they sit because all the details of the plan aren't evident or on paper, and the world is never seen from the perspective of standing. Some people don't take the time to stand. The path is set. There are "things to do and places to go and people to see".  Life is busy with responsibilities and deviation from the plan -- well, there just isn't time to stand around gawking. There are a million reasons that keep us from taking stock of where we are in life. What's your excuse? What about you? Where are you standing?

Progress begins with noticing where you stand within yourself.  Deep inside.  Deep in the place where no one but God can hear your thoughts and dreams and wishes.  It's the place where you can admit you are weak or fearful or angry or frustrated.  It's the place where you dream of all good things and joy and peace beyond what you can even imagine.  That is the place of which I speak.  Is it your heart, your mind, your spirit or a combination of all three?  It does not matter.  Where are you standing in this place?  Or are you standing at all?  Maybe here, deep inside yourself, you find standing is easy.  You speak your mind and state your feelings and no one interrupts.  After all, you and God are your own audience.  Maybe in this place you lift your chin slightly, plant your feet, put your hands on your hips and stand firmly.  Take stock in this place.  Where are you standing?

Start where you stand.