While Swimming

A new thing I've taken up is swimming two nights a week. It's an amazing escape from my running thoughts (recognize that phrase?). I'm sure my form isn't perfect, and that lifeguards and swim coaches pacing the sides think my arm stroke isn't always in line with my body, and that the way I cock my head when I come up for air is too far up. I'm sure of these things, and I work on my form whenever I am conscious enough to, or care enough to. Otherwise, I take simple bodily pleasure in the breathing rhythms, the challenge of stamina it requires, the water all around me, the solitude of it, the power of forward motion that actually is supposed to come from your hips and not your arms. It's like when I swim, I am aware of my whole body in ways ambulating in the air makes me take my body and its functioning for granted.

I've started to wonder what other ways I can become active that will make me more conscious. Not active in the physical sense, per se, but active in the "doing God's work" sense. One of my friends, A, has encouraged me tremendously lately, and filled me with a sense of power that I didn't really realize was in me. [I couldn't believe how much simply talking to her gave me peace of mind!] Looking at her approach to life, even through (prolonged) times of uncertainty, her choice to cultivate herself and to experiment with living an abundant life that digs into building God's Kingdom here on earth: all I can say is, sign me up for that! I want to be active in life. There are commitments I have now that I am not fulfilling enough, and that's where I'll start. I also need to get myself around kids/teens more. Maybe that's my next step. But first commitments first. Being a student is my #1 right now...working on submitting for publication by Christmas, and my IRB submission by Thanksgiving. These are the foremost things for now. But I pray for a more active spirit to fill me, one that fills these requirements of being a focused student, but also seeks out life-giving opportunities to serve, to know a community and be part of it. Lord, push me to live more fully!