April 7th

Many of you know that I center, that is, I practice a prayer form that involves consciously consenting to God’s presence and action in my life.  The prayer itself consists of silently saying a “sacred word” whenever I notice that I have become involved with thoughts.  This internal voice helps me detach from thoughts and rest in God.  Since we are all made to live in communion with God, in a sense, centering allows me to go home.  (If this doesn’t make much sense to you, no worries — it is simply background for the story.)
 
It was around 5 pm in Green Hills on a week day — and I was trying to turn onto Hillsboro Road.  Crazy, no?  Yet, according to my to-do list, I needed to pick up some things at Kroger.  Not to brag, but I generally have crossed off all the items on my to-do list by the end of the day.  On this occasion, I had been delayed at work, was running late, and even I knew that I was tense.  Looking at my hands on the steering wheel, I saw the whites of my knuckles.
 
That’s when I heard my “sacred word” voice inside my head say, “You don’t have to pick up those items at Kroger right now.”  Almost immediately a different, harsher internal voice shot back:  “It’s on the list.”  For a moment, there was silence within me—a stand off.  Then that first voice spoke up again, ever-so-gently saying, “Carolyn, you do know that you wrote the list, don’t you?”
 
It only took a little maneuvering to detach my car from that long line of backed up cars — and go home.