It's Me, Again.

That's all he said, "It's me." But that was enough. But I'm running ahead of the story. So lets back up. Recently, our book group read This is Happiness by Niall Williams. It is a novel, set in the town of Faha, Ireland. A witty and wise story of redemption, family life, mistakes, young and old love, as well as change coming to a small place. And change isn't always welcomed by them. Or me.

The town huddles around St. Cecelia's, the Catholic church. And it is at that church where Noe slips in, now and then. He slides into the back pew and says his usual, "It's me." And it is simple lines like that which nudged me to mark many small, but significant word pictures. Like when he's talking about falling in love and says, "When you're three inches off the ground, you don't see the potholes." And, "Contrary to science, the heart expands more than it contracts.

And, since I'm old, I laughed at this description; "Getting up proved aspirational. There was the idea of it, quite clear.There were hands placed on knees for push-off. There was a right now. And there was another when that failed to produce action . A Right so following. And still nothing. Between thought and verb a vacancy, not intended."

So, by now, you must be wondering, where is she headed with this blog. Well, here are my three takeaways for a heart tune-up, for filling in "the vacancy between thought and verb." In a time of great anxiety and chaos in our country, killings by guns and words, we need to get to the heart of the matter. And the heart is the matter.

1. When lost for words, simply pray, "It's me." Then allow the silence, tears, hopes and fears to speak. God understands when we speak the language of the heart.
2. When tempted to retaliate, to join the retribution squad out of hate or fear, exercise the heart, by allowing it to expand, not contract and shrivel from mean-spirited acts of tit for tat. It's one of the potholes. Easy to fall into. Hard to get out of.
3. And when the gap (vacancy) between thought and action seems too vast to do any good, do some good, anyway. Do something heartily unto God, for others. Inertia is bad for us. So that takes me back to, "It's me." And prayer. And again, God hears and helps me put my faith to work. Although, too often it seems like God and I aren't on the same time schedule. I'm into NOW. God, not so much, sometimes.

But that's probably a topic for another time. And if you need a laugh, Chris sent this:

Website: "We use cookies to improve performance.

Me:"Same."

But, too many would not be good for the heart. Or hips.