Living Life by Design

Can anything so ordinary really make a difference?

I went shopping the other day – for two items – slippers and dirt. I am not a shopper. When I shop, I shop for specific items. I needed slippers..badly. And, I needed dirt—to repot a plant that will soon be boring holes into the floor if I don’t put it into a bigger pot. As I thought about these two seemingly unrelated and very disparate items, I realized how important each of these items are in my life. And, possibly, in yours too.

You see, there is something incredibly connecting when I wear my slippers. It means I’m relaxed. I’m at home—whether at my actual physical home, or with family, or with close friends. I’m comfortable. I’m ready for a book, or a movie, or a conversation, or maybe nothing in particular. It’s time with friends, with God, or with myself. I’m in a slipper-mood. And I connect.

And then, the dirt. I found out a number of years ago that playing in the dirt (also known as taking care of my garden) is incredibly therapeutic for me. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s because we’re going back to our core. Maybe it’s because we’re nurturing life into our plants, our flowers, our gardens. After playing in the dirt, I feel whole. Centered. Complete.

Come to think of it that’s often the way I feel after slipper-moments, too.

We need slipper-moments. We need dirt-moments. To reconnect. To center. To refresh.

What about you? Are you wearing your slippers? Have you played in the dirt recently? Or, maybe your slipper-moments don’t include slippers….or dirt. What is it that reconnects, that centers, that refreshes you?

I gotta go play in the dirt.

Trackback URL