The Harried Mystic

Labor Day, 2009

Ah, I can almost see Maria singing and dancing in the hilly country of Austria, a postulant for life as a nun in the classic musical, “The Sound of Music.”

We easily recall the catchy music and lyrics of “A Few of My Favorite Things:”

“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things …”

What is so captivating about Maria is her resilience and positivity, her love of the natural, and her virtually continuous communion with the Spirit of the hills and dales: a communion too intimate and personal to be bothered with such trifles as showing up on time for services and chapter meetings.

Maria’s innocence is all the more special because it arises out of a deep well of spiritual vitality, energy, and authenticity. Where others might come across as naive or childish, Maria quickly becomes a mature voice to which we are drawn. In this particular song, she builds a list for the pleasure of the children so that they too can join in the choir about the miracles all around that render needless and blind our usual complaints.

I wonder about the things around me that awaken me to the Divine presence: the small things that go right to the heart of the matter, stop time in its tracks, and elevate me to true Joy rather than to superficial and fleeting happiness.

So, here are 10 of my favorite things (in the same spirit as sung so delightfully and memorably by Maria) but with emphasis on where I especially feel the presence of the Beloved-

• standing in a field of wildflowers
• sitting by a mountain river nearby a waterfall
• looking up at the stars on a perfectly clear night unspoiled by our own lights
• on a desert path recently in Arizona at dusk, behind a retreat center and winding up and around a mountain
• at the top of Mount Haleakala in Hawaii
• wading at the beach at Fort Desoto Park in St. Petersburg, Fl. in a heavy downpour
• in the midst of thunder and lightning with the scent of ozone in the air ( the more powerful and dramatic the better)
• in a hospital nursery
• in the forest where no one else is in sight
• in a cabin in the woods with little light save that from the moon, and the natural sound-scape.

It is interesting that while so many churches, temples, cathedrals, chapels, ashrams, and retreat centers inspire and present great beauty, they are simply not the first things that come to mind.

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