Virginia Harris, C.S.B

Por favor espera el piloto. Please wait for the pilot.

As I stood on the edge of a dirt airstrip, carved out of the dense jungle, this sign was the only indication that passengers were expected for the small, single-prop airplane. No waiting room, no check-in, no security line. Only three of us hoping to fly to a real airport.

Eventually, from out of the nowhere, bounded el piloto – “Ready to go?”

Hah! It suddenly occurred to me that no matter how much we wanted to leave, we were going nowhere without the pilot. “Wait for the pilot” wasn’t really a request – it was literally and absolutely the truth.

As we lifted into the blue sky, leaving the jungle behind and flying over the ocean, I thought again about ‘waiting for the pilot,’ and the phrase took on a bigger meaning. In day-to-day decisions, large and small, do I wait on the real ‘pilot’ of my life, God, to lead me or do I try to fly solo? Does God guide me in my daily flights of work and family, church and community?

I realized I could do a better job on consciously checking if ‘the Pilot’ was going first. In other words, my agenda, my plans, or my needs shouldn’t lead my actions. They may be right, but first I should ask God and listen for confirmation that my motives and desires would bring blessing to all concerned, including myself.

Waiting on God – waiting for direction and confirmation – can be difficult if it feels like it is delaying the desired outcome. Perhaps the outcome is a job, or getting better during illness, or waiting to meet that right person…or waiting to start a family. We all have to wait, in traffic, in line, online. Impatience and frustration in these times of ‘instant everything’ seems to rule when the better thing to do is stop, take a moment, and pray for clarity of purpose, courage to put selfish desires aside, and conviction to follow the guidance no matter what.

Spiritual pioneer Mary Baker Eddy writes, “When we wait patiently on God and seek Truth righteously, He directs our path.”

There is no loss – of time or opportunity – when we wait for the Pilot. Whatever plan or outcome desired, it can only be better when blessed by God.

Where on earth are you? 

My mother used to begin almost every phone call to me with this loving plea when I would call her to say hi — and yes, to let her know where in the world my travel had taken me.

I’ve thought a lot about that question recently with all the news coverage of International Mother Earth Day — April 22, as declared by the United Nations for the entire world. At least 175 countries observed the importance of this day in one way or another. 

Walking recently through the New England woods near my home, I spent some quiet time praying about about our planet’s environment. Do I pray about the quality of the air?…the availability and purity of water?…what about the seeming shift in climate patterns?

It occurred to me that all of these environmental elements share one purpose: they affect the quality of life for every individual on the planet. Life.

On my walk, I saw one lone daffodil blooming and standing erect, surrounded by winter earth and cold air. The first to come forth, the promise of more spring color and growth to come…birth and rebirth, even in the midst of apparent barrenness. At that moment, I was humbled by the nobility of Mother Earth and her tender and consistent expression of Life.

This is evidence of the Divine to me: that no matter where on earth I am, what challenges to the natural purity and replenishment of the planet’s resources I see before me, that divine Life — Father-Mother Life and Love — is a constant, ever-present power embracing all of humanity. This is our most powerful resource, to  guide us in our mindful, intelligent care of the earth’s assets.

One of my favorite lines from the Lord’s Prayer is “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Spiritual author Mary Baker Eddy offers her spiritual sense of this statement, “Enable us to know, — as in heaven, so on earth, God is omnipotent, supreme.” (Science and Health, page 17)  Mother God is omnipotent, supreme — right here and now on this earth.

Where on earth are you?

As I have continued to think and pray about Mother Earth and what it might mean to each of us no matter where on earth we are, I have seen more evidence of individual and collective activity in caring for the planet’s rich resources. Let’s all resolve to humble ourselves as children of one world, to the powerful expression of one Mother Earth, this day and every day. 

Today, April 16, many of us living in the Boston area will be cheering on runners – 27,000 official runners! – from around the world as they participate in the 116^th annual Boston Marathon. In fact, the course runs right through a neighboring town — a stretch that is nicknamed “the scream tunnel”!

Several weeks ago I was cheering at the starting line of a triathlon which happened to be the ocean! I chatted with several of the 1600 competitors – men, women and children of all shapes and sizes – and each one had a personal story and reason for competing. I glimpsed a spirit of conviction, joy and possibility!

I was so moved by their discipline and expectation of finishing the race with a “well done” shout-out and cheering from friends and family. I was inspired by some of the participants who had overcome physical challenges in order to enter the event. Their stories and journeys were brave and remarkable. In so many ways they had already defeated the lies of self-doubt and limitation!

So, as I stand on the sidelines and cheer for the Boston Marathon participants, I know that as each one passes by I will be humbled by what they have already accomplished. Their race is a testament to their purpose, determination, discipline, faith, hope and expectation.

To me, the triathlon or marathon is a lot like life. No one becomes ready to run a marathon – start a business or raise a family – overnight. Aren’t there many life experiences where we need patience, endurance, discipline and dedication?  

Such qualities I’ve come to realize have their source in something greater than each of us. To me they are of God, the infinite source of strength and energy. It’s easy enough to be tempted to give up. But in my own life, as I’ve realized these qualities are natural to express and that no limitation of any kind can truly hinder us, I have found resolution, progress, and even victory.

Let’s be inspired today by these words of Paul in the Bible’s New Testament, “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”  (Hebrews 12:1)

Gethsemane. Mount of Olives. Via Dolorosa. Calvary. Places so familiar and meaningful to the Easter season surrounded me as I stood in each one on a recent trip to Israel.

As I followed the well-worn path to each place so revered in Christian history, I asked myself – a prayer really – What about today? What did these places hold for me and millions of others that today walk the pathway of Christianity?

Alone in Gethsemane – literally no one was there with me – I glimpsed the meaning of ‘alone’ by what occurred over 2000 years ago in that small, stony garden.

Knowing of the betrayal and crucifixion that lay ahead of him, Jesus went with his disciples to gather together, to pray, to gain some measure of strength to face this ordeal. When the defining hour approached, Jesus asked those nearest and dearest to him, his trusted disciples, to pray with him: Stand with me, support me through this impending moment. As Jesus prayed he turned and saw them…sleeping. Ever the forgiving and loving Master, again he asked them to pray with him. Again they slept. At that point, he turned from them, to God his Father for strength and courage to become face-to-face with the meaning of life itself. 

Alone with God, in Gethsemane, on the Via Dolorosa, and on Calvary, Jesus uncovered and discovered the needed spiritual strength, forgiveness, and love to prove the powerlessness of hate.

Upon his resurrection, the world awoke to the unconditional, universal, impartial love of God that has no end. This Easter awakening, this Easter lesson is the greatest power ever known.

Praying in the Garden of Gethsemane I realized that no matter how alone, no matter how humiliated any of us may feel or how terrible a situation may be, God’s love and uplifting presence is right there.

This love isn’t brought forward because of obligation or ritual, object or circumstance, season or sin—it exists because of the continuity and constancy of the love of Christ, the tender active presence of God in our lives here today. This presence, this love, this Easter lesson is real and it brings healing and regeneration. 

The Mexican sun, bright and warm, was steadily rising in a clear blue sky as we trekked our way through the Mayan ruins. I felt a world away from my Northeastern winter – and a sense of awe at the incredible structures representing an advanced civilization of 1500 years ago. The Mayan’s desire to find a connection to nature, to the stars, to whatever was in control of their very existence is still evident in the crumbling stones.

Our guide shared with us that one of the most intriguing remnants is the complex Mayan calendar. In fact, it isn’t one calendar, but a system of calendars showing several cycles of different lengths, the longest cycle being 52 years. She confirmed that an ‘end-date’ of the calendar is coming on December 21, 2012. But while many people believe this is a prediction of the ‘end of the world,’ the Mayan descendants do not. It is simply the end of a 52-year cycle – and should be seen as an end to an age, not the world!

So how does one deal with such foreboding images that turn out to be false? I thought about how many other negative and ominous predictions I hear throughout a typical day - from economic doomsayers, or political pundits in the media, to reports of global instability, harsh weather conditions, or contagion from seasonal illnesses.

A statement comes to thought from spiritual visionary Mary Baker Eddy:

“Predicting danger does not dignify life, whereas forecasting liberty and joy does; for these are strong promoters of health and happiness.”  (Miscellaneous Writings, page 240)

How important it is today, in the face of so many dire predictions, to be a ‘forecaster’ of liberty and joy, not gloom and doom! I am able to do this when I understand that my ability to experience health and joy is inherent in me, because my spiritual being – my true nature – is a creation of the Divine. My spiritual being of health, happiness and freedom can’t be hidden by doubt or fear when I look to the supreme being for guidance. Instead, I am filled with the expectation of good.

This is my desire, to affirm my connection to the Divine nature and be a forecaster for freedom, health and happiness!

Today I received the most precious Valentine from a close friend. Immediately, I was full of gratitude for the kindness and generosity she has shown me throughout the years. How dear of her to acknowledge our friendship on Valentine’s Day!

February 14^th reminds me to strive to have every interaction be about seeing the best in others, rather than labeling or limiting them in any way. It’s important to live that same sense of love and appreciation for others every day. 

The following words from spiritual author, Mary Baker Eddy, are a real inspiration for every day being about living real love.

“Oh, may the love that is talked, be felt! and so lived, that when weighed in the scale of God we be not found wanting. Love is consistent, uniform, sympathetic, self-sacrificing, unutterably kind; even that which lays all upon the altar, and, speechless and alone, bears all burdens, suffers all inflictions, endures all piercing for the sake of others, and for the kingdom of heaven’s sake.”

(From the article, “Overflowing Thoughts”, Miscellaneous Writings, page 312)

Recently, as I finished Skyping with family in China, I marveled at how close and effortless our conversation was via computer. If it hadn’t been for the time zone difference (it was tomorrow there not today!), we could have been separated only by a room, not thousands of miles.

It’s amazing to think of how far the technology of being in touch has come in a relatively short time. I remember as a little girl long distance telephone calls were a big event and only lasted a few minutes! Today, conversation is effortless– and sometimes endless: the boundlessness of communication – and the interdependence of the world – is but a tweet away. 

This interconnectedness is already having significant implications. It is no longer possible to ignore events of war, deprivation, political upheaval, or economic instability just because it is not in one’s own country. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who fought for all mankind living harmoniously with each other, spoke to the power of this interconnectedness:

“I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the way our world is made. No individual or nation can stand out boasting of being independent. We are interdependent.”

To me, there is evidence of a greater feeling of connection and oneness with humanity, the larger family of man…there is a deeper compassion and commitment to interests and needs beyond one’s own community. The ease of communication makes tyranny, oppression and disasters harder to hide – and help faster to come.

The advantages of our oneness are also powerful counters to the seeming negatives of a smaller world, whether from the efforts of terrorism or the effects of economic woes in distant countries on our own retirement savings. 

I’ve found reassurance and hope for the interconnectedness of today in these words by spiritual thinker Mary Baker Eddy,

“One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself;’ annihilates pagan and Christian idolatry, — whatever is wrong in social, civil, criminal, political, and religious codes; equalizes the sexes; annuls the curse on man, and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished or destroyed.”

(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 340)

This morning when I was wrapping presents, I was thinking about the most meaningful present I have ever received on Christmas day: it was the tangible feeling of the present presence of the Christ. And it changed my life.

For several days I was unable to walk many steps — even standing was a challenge. During the early morning hours of Christmas, as I sat looking out the window, I felt an overwhelming sense of love and power embracing me…so much so that this feeling literally impelled me to stand and walk to the front door of my home. I opened the door on the cold winter night and looked to the sky, breathing the first fresh air in many days. The sky was filled with stars — but one shone more brightly than all others. This star symbolized to me a tangible point in my healing journey: the light and clarity of the Christ presence that heals any pain. I took my coat from the closet and stepped out onto the sidewalk. I knew I had been healed.

The alone time preceding this wonderful healing was unlike a ‘traditional’ Christmas for me: no cookies baked, no presents wrapped, no shopping done. And yet, filling those days with prayer and reflection blessed me with a deeper understanding of the immediate presence of the Christ, not only for me, but for all humanity. What a gift!

This Christmas our whole family will be together, which means kids of all ages. The days will be filled with laughter, games, ice-skating, snowy winter walks, vintage family movie night, cookie baking, trimming the tree… it will be a full and happy time.

Whether your Christmas is solitary, spent with friends, or family-filled, a few quiet moments can be found to contemplate the deeper meaning of this blessed season that truly knows no calendar. Spirituality author Mary Baker Eddy offered the world this tender counsel for our thoughts and actions. May your Christmas include some of these healing moments of reflection and gratitude. 

“I love to observe Christmas in quietude, humility, benevolence, charity, letting good will towards man, eloquent silence, prayer, and praise express my conception of Truth’s appearing.” (“What Christmas Means to Me,” from The Ladies’ Home Journal)

Something that I’ve been doing in my life that has made a real difference is to begin or end each day with 5 minutes of pure gratitude. I do this wherever I am - at home, at the office, on an airplane, and even (and especially!) if I’ve had a terrible day. These 5-minute reflections are private, portable and potent. They have had a transforming effect on my health and well-being.

Imagine the cumulative power of millions of 5-minute gratitudes! Any realistic measure would prove that gratitude mightily outweighs ingratitude. That kind of gratitude is a spiritual force that is stronger than the bonds of materialism. And it is evidence of a love so deep and caring for others that it can overcome evidence of fear or hate. How about adding your gratitude for 5 minutes today?

This Thanksgiving week in the US, I have been thinking even more than usual about the power of pure, deep gratitude. Gratitude heals and energizes. It enables me to see situations differently - from a fresh perspective, which is often a healing and regenerative perspective. This perspective has brought creativity, ingenuity, insight, and solutions to circumstances that have appeared unyielding. 

Active expressions of gratitude often exist outside the walls of traditional institutions and thinking. However, it is these very acts of gratitude that can break down walls - divisions between races and socio-economic groups, and melt bitterness in business and family relationships. This deep, unconditional thankfulness lived and practiced is the very essence of spirituality.

What is really at the heart of this giving, and the reason it is a force for good in the world, is that it enables each of us to reach out beyond the frailty and limitations of our own perceptions of ourselves and our abilities, in order to connect with a greater, higher power.

This higher power, the Supreme Being, is made very real and close by the goodness I believe is in each one of us. As we see it in ourselves and others, we’ll see it in the world. This ability, cultivated and cherished, enables us to resolve conflicts - wars within ourselves and without - at home and abroad.

A woman who understood the relationship between gratitude and practical action, which in turn blesses individuals and the world, was Mary Baker Eddy. She has been a profound influence in my life and offered these words about gratitude and action in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures:

“Are we really grateful for the good already received?…Gratitude is much more than a verbal expression of thanks. Action expresses more gratitude than speech.“  (SH 3:22)

Gratitude is spirituality in action.  It is a resource that will never be depleted and can most benefit our world and our future. Live your gratitude today!