It’s my birthday month! Every year, my birthday is filled with doing whatever tickles my fancy and this year was no exception. Much of my special day was spent bringing birthday cake to friends. It was so much fun surprising people with an entire cake pan of delicious goodness! A day-long celebration full of cheer and selfies with all those with whom I shared the day was exactly what I desired. Dinner out and a rousing game of Yahtzee rounded out a wonderfully memorable day!

Celebrating all the accomplishments and the gratefully minor trials of the past year is an exercise in remembering well. Our memories can surely be a gift whether they conjure up happy feelings, sad feelings, or even feelings of dread. Memories hold truths and lots of life lessons if we allow them to be that for us.
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“Remembering well” is a matter of sitting with our memories and discovering what they want to teach us in the moment. Just like all lessons in life, memories hold different meaning at different stages of life. While my memories of a somewhat strict upbringing may have been rife with feelings of animosity when I was in my early 20s, those same memories bring me a sense of gratitude now that I’m in my 50s. In my earlier years, the boundaries that were set when I was growing up felt repressive and maybe even excessive. As someone who has matured and can see the bigger picture, I now see that those boundaries placed in me a sense of responsibility and restraint that has boded me well in life.

This is what remembering well looks like. Placing our memories in the larger context of our entire lives to this point. Even the memories we’d prefer to forget that may be filled with abuse or betrayal have something to teach us. Remembering how it felt to be lied to or mistreated in any number of ways hopefully results in not wanting to inflict the same painful feelings upon others. We know what it’s like and if we “remember well” we will be very conscious about our treatment of others especially those whom we love the most.

My hope for you is that, when you sit with your memories, you can do so with an open mind and heart taking in the lessons they hold for you today. May remembering well lead you to new understanding and a sense of peace that all your memories are worth holding.

Ah, April… The month of budding trees, flowers peeking out of the ground, and migrating birds returning to their summer homes. All manner of creatures are preparing spaces for the next generation to emerge including two of my nieces who are each expecting their second child. It’s a wonderful time of year to engage all of who we are in the newness that springs forth within and all around us!

Blog contributor A.S. reflects this in her comment. She says, “Whenever I feel stuck, I pause and focus on my senses; what do I see, hear, feel, smell? These extraordinary gifts remind me how alive I am and are the conduit to all of that life and beauty around me. The gray fuzziness comes into focus and allows me to see the budding of the trees, to hear the scampering feet of a squirrel, to smell the damp dew of an early morning and to feel the warmth of the sun shining down on me. I am life and new life surrounds me and fuels my soul!”

This is an amazing way to experience new life. We have the ability to have a fully immersive encounter with all the pieces of ourselves as we take in what is changing and growing in every corner of life. Creation continues to expand and unfold right before our eyes, our ears, our noses, and our skin just waiting for us to notice and engage and participate in that very creation.

Blog contributor A.M. expands this notion even further stating, “New life is always sprouting up & around everything in my opinion - it seems even more when the seasons change, though, as it always allows for a new season to bloom - new weather, new habits, new flowers, new hobbies, new ways. All seasons bring more than just a change of scenery - they bring a chance to experience things in a new light always.”

“Experience things in a new light…” What is something that seems commonplace in life that we can see or experience differently? How can we come alongside it with new eyes and understanding? So many things have the potential for passing us by because we’re so used to them being part of our reality. Our spouses and partners, the space we live in, our family units all offer us an opportunity to experience them in a new light if we take the time to do so.
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In the Christian imagination, we reflect on new life as we await Easter and the promises of the resurrection. The promises of the Spirit who offers new life no matter our age or stage of life. The Spirit is always creating within and around us just waiting for us to notice what is springing forth. So, let’s try to be intentional about noticing the newness within creation, immersing ourselves in it, and experiencing all of life in a new light.
 

 

In my work as a hospice chaplain, I have the privilege of encountering many people. One of the folks I had the honor of journeying with had lost their ability to speak. Most communication was by way of shakes and nods of the head, facial expressions, and shoulder shrugs. They also had a whiteboard with which they were able to ask questions and offer deeper thoughts. I stopped by one morning for a visit during which time the whiteboard was not used as what needed to be communicated didn’t demand it. I noticed that the whiteboard was within reach and held partially wiped-out thoughts likely from the prior day so I asked this friend if I might provide a clean slate wiping away yesterday’s thoughts to make room for today’s. A clean slate on which to write the worries and joys of the day. A clean slate on which to share the deep and meaningful struggles of broken relationships. A clean slate to help let go of yesterday’s concerns and start anew with today’s joys.

What would that look like for you? What would a clean slate mean for you in this new year of 2025? January tends to bring about resolutions and aspirations that are well intentioned but oftentimes unachievable when they are set in the context of an entire year so maybe we can approach them in smaller doses by offering ourselves a clean slate every day.

​As a reiki practitioner, there are principles I do my best to practice. Each one begins with “just for today…” which helps set the mind on a goal that is achievable and offers the opportunity to start each day with a clean slate. What if we approached our new year’s resolutions and aspirations on a daily basis with the intention of working toward them “just for today…” – one day at a time?

The responses that were received for this month’s blog question “What would your life look like if you had a clean slate?” lend themselves well to this daily approach.

D.S. responded, “There will not be any broken pieces of yesterday.” Imagine beginning each day with this type of commitment mindfully engaging in life so nothing is “broken” at the end of the day.

A.S. said a clean slate would look like “more compassion, more forgiving, more Dave!” (Sounds like he’s a lucky guy!!) This person’s focus on the relational aspects of life is certainly something to strive for daily.

S.K-B. wrote, “Acknowledge the past, don’t dwell there, and move forward.” Our past can certainly never be wiped clean like a whiteboard nor should it be. The past informs the present and ultimately our future but it’s important not to get stuck there. Again, a daily reminder could go a long way in accomplishing this goal.

I also answered this month’s question. For me, a clean slate looks like “starting over with no inhibitions.” What holds us back from wiping the slate clean each day and moving forward in life? Imagine throwing out all inhibitions… Fear, self-doubt, unending questions, the grief upon grief that comes with life, the feeling of never being enough, the uncertainty that comes with big life decisions… What would it look like to let all of that go and simply start fresh with a clean slate?

Imagine living life with an openness to whatever and wherever God, Spirit, the Divine, the Universal Life Energy is leading you. A clean slate with no road blocks. A clean slate where only trust exists – trust in the Divine – trust in yourself. Let’s resolve to do our best to begin each day with a clean slate so we can live lives of compassion and forgiveness making sure there are no broken pieces to mend at the end of the day as we move forward in the here and now rather than dwelling in the past.