To everything in life, there is a flow. There is continuity that stretches from beginning to end in an ever changing cycle where the wheels continue to revolve. Similar to water, it is smooth like the rise of a tide hitting the surface and thereafter, returning back to its bounds. Even in its stillness, there is motion and a consistency that can be tracked and seen no matter the environment. It isn’t rigged with many bumps and bruises amidst the turbulence. Water still manages to keep a continuous thrust forward from where it was last located to its new place. I find myself studying water often. Not just because I love to swim, but because of these key factors: the continuity, the tides, and the latching.
Continuity: The unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over a period of time. The key word that stands out is unbroken. This means it has the ability to continue even in the midst of a storm. It maintains and keeps its stand. Now moving on to tide: drift with, or a powerful surge that reflects the rise and fall of the sea level. Our key word found in this definition is its ability to drift with. In life we can drift away from things or towards, but the key component many overlook is who are you drifting with? What is attached to you in the mode of travel? Is it extra baggage that makes it tiresome or light? Lastly, moving on to latch: to lay hold with, to associate oneself intimately and often artfully. Our key word here is, intimately. This indicates close proximity. It is not something that is in the distance but rather right before your eyes. These elements have such a stillness, and a softness that can be seen, felt, and heard, every time, if you are quiet enough to listen. It requires not just your attention, but also your accord in these three places to successfully enter: flow. Now, I am going to return to the keyword with to create that full 360 for you. But, first we must dive in a little deeper.
When I find myself sitting in nature relaxing and easing my mind, everything around me seems to be at its quietest and most serene. There is a flow in every aspect of the environment all the way down to the way I inhale and exhale. It all connects in this one big circle. Daily, we are walking in a flow, whether it be our regular morning routine, or the trains we know by heart to take for work. It becomes muscle memory where if our brains were to completely shut off, we would still be able to function and everything would become second nature to us with no hesitation. But I have begun to find, through my own self reflection, sometimes this flow of what we are used to doing, can be detrimental to our growth. As discussed in our last meeting, in the world of Pace, we emphasized making sure we do a ground check. Before that, we have our Step by Step: cultivating our passion and vision. These are both key prerequisites to our flow which include our three factors. They stand as the foundation for a healthy continuous cycle we all desire to have in this life. For me, solidifying these other two foundations catapulted me into this flow consisting of the previously described: continuity, tides, and latching. It took me out of the routine I was used to, into the unknown and these new qualities of faith, trust, and belief. I found myself latching onto them and every time I did, they never depleted. They all were continuous. They remained unbroken and lived in an intimate place within me. When all three began to work and were put into practice, I began to really understand what living in this flow really meant because of the change that was happening from the inside out. I began to challenge the things I allowed because it was what I was used to doing in a flow. I asked more questions to investigate my motives in my career decisions, dreams, goals, relationships, and where my passions lie. This opened up an entire new avenue of thought from the flow of just doing anything, to entering into the unknown where faith, trust, and belief is required of me to progress. The most important component that remains constant is that they all come with each other, one by one and with something in a rhythm.
Now, for those of you who are not into nature as much as I am, I still highly recommend that you find time in whatever your element is to experience this flow and serenity. One that for me only comes from settling my mind, heart and spirit on my big bestie up there who is forever watching over me. This is and will continue to be my with I mentioned earlier. He is an ever present help and is always right there with me as he is with you whenever you need Him. A simple honest conversation will suffice for Him, and immediately a renewing begins to transform both your mind and heart. One key word I would like to point out is: honest. It is a place of meeting with the truth. Sometimes, when we begin to face this our immediate instinct is to run away because deep down we know we will tap into a flow that will change our course. I have tried life outside of this flow and it left me very much empty and broken. What I once thought of in the materialistic and temporary things of the word would be more than enough for me eventually ran dry. The water that I thought would never wither away began to slowly enter into a drought that left me extremely thirsty for more. The well was running dry right along with this flow that has no roots or fertile soil to thrive from. All in one I began to lose my steps, passion, vision and pace. Similar to a jigsaw puzzle, everything seemed to be upside down. My steps weren’t ordered, my path was in a disarray and the questions never stopped. You see this kind of flow is not something I would ever recommend to anyone. It truly gets you wrapped up in a false reality where truthfully I can speak for myself, the big G was the only who was able to get me out of. If it wasn’t for Him I do not know where I would be to this day. His grace and His mercy is what follows and surrounds me everywhere that I go. Once I began to embrace this, things immediately shifted and evolved for me. The flow found in him began to overflow profusely in ways I could have never imagined all because of my choice to be honest with the source. I had to be honest with who was leading me to stay in the flow, the continuity, tides and latching. There was a deep surrender and trading of my ways for His that needed to be exchanged. It was an experience that was outside of me and one I wanted to continue to submerge myself in. It was so tangible and contagious that anyone within close proximity could feel its effects.
It was freedom.
Everything I once thought that I lost was found, and it was through His small still voice reminding me that he is right there, holding my hand every step of the way.
I would not have made it to this place if I did not take those small yet precious moments to ask myself why. I needed that shift in perspective to reevaluate the flow I thought was working. I had the desire to find that rhythm when my why and my with, tapped into the same stream for the real flow I was looking for.
To everything in life, there is a flow and in it is transformation, renewal, and hope for a better tomorrow. I found that hope in God along with a flow that I intend to ride out for the rest of my life. I guess you could say I was beginning to find a syncing of my lines in the script and role that always fit, but was just waiting for me to accept.
Until next time.
Forever in Faith. Forever in Motion,
Faith Joy Mondesire