By Rev. Elizabeth Rowley, Spiritual Director
February 1, 2019
Pulling into the driveway of my condo after a long day at the office, I felt happiness wash over me. It was raining when I left for work that morning, so I had my umbrella and an extra jacket with me. I also had my usual daily items with me, including my purse, coffee thermos, water bottle, and lunch bag. Oh, and I stopped to pick up the mail too. With a slight struggle in gathering up my items, I opened my car door in a fluster.
Feeling like the Tasmanian Devil of Looney Tunes, I stumbled out of the car with both hands full. I stood for a moment contemplating a strategy to lock my car door as I had already placed the keys in my purse. Just then, I heard a lovely voice practically singing to me from across the way, “Hello, hello, hello, here you go, here you go.”
I looked across the driveway, and there was my sweet neighbor, Karen, holding flowers in her hand and smiling as she approached me saying, “Hi, these are for you. I’m your neighbor, Karen, and I was trimming up my flowers…here you go!”
This little act of kindness lit me up from the inside, and a huge smile brightened my face. I thanked Karen with great joy as she stood there looking at me with her arms stretched out to hand me the flowers.
Oh, wait, my hands are full. I quickly emptied my hands to receive the pretty flowers she was giving to me. I smiled once again and thanked her, locked my car door, and headed into the condo. It was a holy moment which had me contemplate my level of receptivity.
Do you ever have so many things in your literal or proverbial hands, that you are unable to accept the sweet gifts the Divine is offering you? It may be a physical item like flowers, or an eternal gift, as the kingdom of heaven within. Are you holding on to resentment, anger, upset, or the past, to such a degree that you cannot accept the boundless love, prosperity, and joy being presented to you at this moment? Your Creator wants to give all of these things to you, and so much more. Are your hands free? Are you available to receive?
We would all do well to remember to keep one hand free, so to speak, such that we’re open and available to receive these gifts of the Divine. This will have a different meaning for everyone. For some of you, it might mean to free up your calendar or to add some space between your appointments throughout the day. For others, it may mean doing your forgiveness work, or finally letting go of _________ (fill in the blank.) Whatever that thing is that’s been holding you back, keeping you from your spiritual magnificence.
Keep one hand free and be ready to receive.
And so it is.
