Stretching

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing you can do is keep your mind young.        Mark Twain

Judy gave me a beautiful leather-bound journal for Christmas into which I wrote this first entry: "In the year ahead I will fill these pages with the important stuff of our lives as well as the mundane". 

Before I could start using the new journal I needed to stretch the binding, so  

on the first day of the year I was doing this after my usual stretching routine, and it occurred to me that stretching might be a good metaphor for the new year.

My early morning physical and spiritual practice for many years has been based on guidance from a book by Murrey Fink, titled, "Stretch and Pray". ..  I find that at my age it is good to stretch out the stiffness and aches and pains the first thing in the morning.  It really helps!  Some minutes of physical stretches are then followed by a series of "prayer positions". These are quite easy for almost anyone to do and each position brings to mind thoughts and prayers of gratitude, introspection, gracious forgiveness, petitions and contemplation.  The positions themselves are good for body, mind and spirit.  Did you ever think about what bodily positions Jesus might have used during his prayers? There are several clues in the Gospels.

I have to admit that as this new year begins I find it a stretch to even come up with resolutions and plans - I am in a bit of a state of inertia. This may be caused by a realization of how little I can affect the big issues and problems that confront the world, or even the specific challenges that face some of my family and friends.

As I scanned in my mind what stretching myself might mean this year it came to me that stretching oneself has to involve learning.  Stretching myself means not just doing the same things I always do, many of which I enjoy.  I thought of some possibilities: learn to be a good cook, fix a car, learn conflict management, write short stories, be a better skier?  Most of the things I already do are done on a scale of fair to medium.  And I felt no passion for any of the options that came to me.  Then the image of my guitar came to mind.  Yes, I would like to learn to play the guitar better!  And it is a realistic thing to do.

Strumming the guitar and singing along is something I love to do - though I have been stuck for years with limited capacity - just a few chord progressions that work for many songs.  I have limited ability to play the melody line or use pleasant sounding finger picking to back up singing.

So now I turn my mind to think of stretching myself into areas that keep my mind active, body (and fingers) flexible and young (relatively speaking), and talents used for others and God.  I know before I start that I will not become a good musician, but I do know I will enjoy the effort.

In what areas of life and learning are you stretching yourself this year? 

Blessings to you in 2014!!

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