to begin anew

discernment…the ability to judge well.

in corona times we are called on to use our discernment constantly…do i need a mask? which one? is this venue safe? do i feel safe on the bus? should i shop online instead of inside the shop? did i wash my hands for the full 20 seconds?

am i living in fear or am i exercising my wisdom?

this seems to be the question of the moment, the question that underlies all the others. as we grow older, we hope to gain some wisdom. we have certainly lived through many experiences that have taught us much. using that learning to make beneficial decisions is an aspect of our growing wisdom.

discernment, the ability to judge well, is a facet on the jewel of wisdom. to see and hear deeply to what occupies our outer world and balance it with the vision and voice of our inner world, is the wisdom of the elder. from there can spring those meaningful, supportive, thoughtful decisions, decisions that benefit ourselves and include those around us.

and it is discernment that led me to rest for a while from this wonderful experience of writing blog posts. now, as the year turns, i too am turning forward to the writing and to those who read these moments of our shared experience. thank you for being here…i’m so glad to be back! and to begin anew.

the decision to take a period of rest was a wise one. after almost 200 continuous blog posts, my inner muse needed some time to regroup, recalibrate, refresh and re-elder herself. (we usually use the word ‘rejuvenate’ which comes from the same root as ‘juvenile’ [latin juvenīlis], to be younger again. we don’t yet have a world to reconnect with our elder self…yet another example of our youth oriented culture!)

i sincerely hope that we will continue to walk together through corona times and emerge wiser, truer, bolder, more curious, more authentic than when we entered this unsettling time in our long experience.

and that through it all, we remember to breathe gently through all the moments that ask for discernment.

p.s. i still haven't figured out how to place images into my posts since wordpress has changed it's format...sigh. new learning for the curious elder!