A Word, Please

A wise elder recently told me that she had decided to make "faith" her word this year. She had heard of a practice of rather than making a new year's resolution, one dedicates the year to living a particular word. She went on to explain that she worries too much. "So, instead I will try to keep reminding myself to live in faith." 

The more I thought about this practice, the more beautiful it seemed. It is actually reviving a spiritual practice from centuries ago when seekers would go to the desert ammas and abbas and ask for a word. I, too, have decided to adopt a word. That word is  "patience."  Since patience is not my strong suit, I have already had a few opportunities to put this mantra to use. Every time, my breathing slowed; my mind cleared, and a way was shown in love. In this society that is so overrun with words, it is Interesting to experience how much healing one word can bring. I am reminded that we, too, can be living words of God.

  

   

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.  John 1:1