I was recently asked a question that I pondered upon for a week or so to find my answer.
And the question is,
What is your highest moral obligation?
To be answered in one word,
Yes,
One word.
What is your highest moral obligation?
The word that first came to me was kindness,
But then I thought in this instance this does not express enough for me.
And then I was literally being haunted by the desire to find my word for days and days.
And a word that in the past I always believed to be my favourite word in the English language came back to revisit me over and over again.
Okay I thought,
That must be it.
And that word is grace,
An all-encompassing word that transcends most others,
Well for me at any rate.
I hearken back to the three graces that were spoken about in Greek mythology.
Aglaea,
The grace symbolising brightness and radiance.
And then there is Tullia,
The blossoming,
The flowering one.
The grace symbolising beauty,
This of course refers to both inner and outer beauty.
And then there is Euphrosyne,
The grace symbolising mirth or joyfulness.
The number of graces varied in different legends,
But usually there were these three.
Together they constitute what was regarded as an ideal of beauty.
I read somewhere that in ancient mythology it is believed that these charming goddesses were created to fill the world with pleasant moments and benevolence.
And so,
What are some of the deep meanings of living a life of grace?
Finesse,
Ease,
Being well-mannered,
Being kind,
Benevolent,
Courteous.
There are so many aspects of this word.
What words stem from grace?
Gracious,
For example,
And graceful is another,
And gratitude is another.
And so,
What is my obligation?
To be gracious,
Graceful,
Grateful towards all beings and when walking this earth.
And so,
Rest for a minute or so.
Does a word immediately come to mind for you?
A word that would describe your moral obligation to this world?
A word that keeps haunting you?
Or a word that plays with your imagination often and appears for no apparent reason,
Enticing you to pay attention to what it symbolises?
What comes to mind?
And now,
Why don't we use that word,
Its meaning and the feelings it invokes,
In a mindfulness practice?
Lodge your word deep within your heart.
And as your mind will be inclined to wander away at times,
I shall occasionally interrupt your distractions to bring you back to your special word and to the emotions it invokes.
And if you can't think of a word right now,
Simply use mine,
And that is grace.
Come into the beauty and solace of stillness,
To the word that echoes in your soul.
Reflect on the word.
Come home to your essence.
Come home to your spirit.
Come home to your heart.
Come home to your essence.
Come home to your spirit.
Come home to your heart.
Come home to your essence.
Come home to your soul.
On your next out-breath,
Gently release your word.
Be still for a few minutes.
Observe now how you are feeling,
Gently breathing in and out.
And just observe.
It has been said that to live in grace is to walk lightly and leave the world blessed by our presence.
To live in grace is to leave gentle footsteps upon this earth,
Planting peace in each imprint.
Do you have your special word?
What does your word imply?
Until next time,
I graciously send you peace,
Love and joy.
This is Anne-Marie.
