We Are the Change

English: New Year's Resolutions postcard (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Every January 1st, millions of people around the world make resolutions to give up, do without, change, recreate, and/or begin something. They look back on the past year, see the areas in their lives that could have been better, could have been more, could have been happier and resolve to make it so in the year ahead.
 
One problem, usually, is that most of these resolutions suddenly fizzle out around mid-February. Why?
 
I believe it is because they are made without the recognition that in order to bring about true change, one must remove the root of whatever it is that is causing the problem. For instance, we can try to lose weight, but, if we don't recognize and change our behavior - i.e., realize that we eat when stressed - then we will only resort back to that behavior.
 
After fifty some odd years of resolutions, I have decided to approach resolutions from a different angle this year. Instead of changing something about me - weight, attitude, etc. - I would begin by taking away a root of my issues. In other words, I am weeding my spiritual garden.
 
The best way to do this, I feel, is to begin adding to my time spent in reflection, meditation, communion and prayer. This year, I am creating, mindfully and deliberately, Sacred Space for the observance of Sabbath. As I have already stated in a past post, Sabbath does not have to be observed on Saturday or Sunday. Sabbath is any time you intentionally shut out the world of consumerism and materialism and connect with Spirit.
 
You see, I hypothesize that by observing an intentional Sabbath, the root of my problems, issues, and/or lack will disappear, or at least become something that I can cope with without becoming filled with fear and despair. The reason for this is that when we connect to Spirit, we are given Grace...this Grace brings Wisdom, Strength, Courage and the ability to do the things we are called to do.
 
President Obama said, "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” If we spend time with Spirit, with the Divine, with our Creator, then, we will see and have the strength to do those things we must to make this world a better place.
 
May the year ahead be filled with Light, Love and Laughter. May there be enough rain to create rainbows and bring flowers to life. May storms pass over without lasting damage. And, may each of us see that we are enough, that we are loved and that we have all we need, now.

By Linda M. Rhinehart Neas - TNS 2013