Wednesday Wonder

People watching

Probably mentioned previously that people watching is one of my favourite pastimes. No matter where I am, watching people and their behaviour is something I just naturally do.

Today, I am watching people while my car gets an oil change. In many ways, people waiting while their cars get serviced are no different than people sitting, waiting anywhere. But while sitting in a car dealership, I get to watch not just people waiting, but the staff as they go about their work, or their breaks, as well as those who are shopping for a car. My fellow service customers are the main focus at the moment.

One of the service consultants just came to speak to a customer. This usually means there is something extra to be done. The minute the consultant comes into view you can see the customer tense. I’ve done it. You probably have too. I can’t hear what is being said, but I don’t have to. The look on the customer’s face says it all. Something big and/or expensive has been found. I fear the same thing may happen with my consultant shortly.

These extra needs come up when you are someone who regularly maintains your vehicle, and because you stay on top of things you know when it might happen. If you are not quite so vigilant, then these things come as an unexpected surprise.

How like our spiritual lives. Even when we try to do good maintenance, there are times when big things come up unexpectedly. There are times when we become overwhelmed and have to deal with the big stuff. This is why sometimes the spa day, the weekend or week away is needed. When we step out of the everyday we can breathe and change focus. We can look within and at God.

I have a spiritual recharging moment scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. A friend from Scotland will be in the area visiting family and we are getting together for a couple of hours. Whenever she and I are in contact it pulls me back to my Scottish adventure from a few years ago. It was a time when I was fully relaxed, was able to leave work in Canada, and just be for a while. I spent much of my time exploring the countryside, connecting with my roots and finding the ‘thin places’ to bring me closer to God.

Scotland offered me a chance to escape from the everyday. The land, the people, the history and the culture (haggis aside) all took me out of the ordinary. The Celts often speak of ‘thin places’ where the distance between this human earthly world and the spiritual world is minimal. These places help us experience God anew. They allow us to feel closer to God.

You don’t have to go to Scotland to find a thin place. Sometimes you simply have to step away, for even a moment, from all that is pulling and pushing you. Take a deep breath and stop for a brief time, a moment even. God is in the moment, in the silence. And you reconnect with God and yourself again. Sometimes, you encounter a person who gives you that sense of reconnection, someone who helps you just be for a moment. God is there.

Just like regular maintenance on your car, or your annual check up at the doctor, or anything else that helps keep your life running smoothly, a spiritual check up keeps things going too. A minute in the morning or evening. Stopping at lunch time. Meeting an old friend. Making a new friend. Anything that has us remembering God is part of the picture helps.

Let yourself schedule your spiritual ‘oil change’ today. You will be glad you did. Just like your car, your life will run smoother too.