in love with lent...

We use the single word "faith" to cover a vast range of human experiences. Faith is, fundamentally, the experience of our being grounded in God, rooted in him with absolute sureness and with a confidence that is always deepening because the depths of God can never be measured. This is the experience of prayer.

It is falling into the depths of love with complete trust, with a complete "letting go".

- John Main OSB, Monastery Without Walls

I've said it before, here, here and again here. I love Lent! I really, really do... And although I don't go to church, Lent continues to be a cherished time of the year for me.

Its timing is perfect, and probably not coincidental. (I don't believe in coincidences anyway.) Committing to this 40-day period of reflection and connection prepares us to be "born anew", to come alive with a renewed confidence that, just as the Earth is preparing to explode with the unstoppable force of spring, we too are ripe and ready to emerge from whatever restraints we have become all-too-comfortable with. The Easter story becomes relevant to us today because it reminds us of our limitless potential for growth & transformation.

The cool thing is, when we become rooted in something greater than ourselves, a something I call "God", we don't need to force growth & transformation. In fact, we don't need to "do" anything. It is there, waiting for us on the wings of our next exhale. All we need is to get out of our own way, or as John Main says so well, to let go and to allow ourselves to fall into the depths of love with God.

For this season of Lent, my hope is that I may be able to do just that.

Happy Lent!

-simply jag

on governance...

In a democracy, every citizen, regardless of his interest in politics, "holds office"; every one of us is in a position of responsibility; and in the final analysis, the kind of government we get depends upon how we fulfill those responsibilities.

We, the people, are the boss and we will get the kind of political leadership, be it good or bad, that we demand and deserve.

- John F. Kennedy

In July 2005, I copied this quote from a wall at the JFK Library & Museum in Boston. It spoke to me then... and it still challenges me today.

Just sayin'...

-simply jag

a day in the (silent) life...

"Meditation is a discipline of simplicity. Our world needs to learn it urgently. It is a discipline whereby you direct all your powers of consciousness to God. Instead of being at the mercy of your mind with its myriad thoughts and imaginations, you bring our mind, your consciousness, to silence. In that silence you quite naturally become open to God and God's power. It is an utterly benevolent power which we can only describe with the word 'love'."
- Dom John Main, OSB


Once again, I have given myself the gift of a 5-day silent retreat. I leave after work on Thursday. Here's what a typical day on a non-directed, silent retreat looks like (with possible minor variations):

• sleep
• meditate
• eat
• walk
• read/write
• eat
• nap
• walk
• meditate
• eat
• read/write
• meditate
• read/write
• sleep

Well, SOMEbody has to do it! :-) See you on the flip side of Silence...
simply jag xox

blossomtime...

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”

- Marcel Proust

With gratitude to simple sparrow who reminded me today that it's important to share the beauty we see through our lens...

simply jag xox

commitment...

"The irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating - in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life."

(seen on a Starbucks coffee cup: The Way I See It #76 - A. Morriss, Customer)

This past weekend, these two men inspired me to renew my commitment to running. Reinforced by the wisdom from an unlikely source (a disposable coffee cup?!), I've decided to register for a 15K race this coming August. Eeek! This is a huge leap for me and I'm still not sure I can do this... but then again, that's probably just the voice of fear parading around as rational hesitation. :-)

Special kudos & proud sentiments go out to Hubby who ran his marathon in 3:18:12, thereby qualifying him to run the Boston Marathon in 2010! If I feel like giving up, I can turn to him for inspiration - and a healthy dose of insanity...


simply jag
xox

taking care of Mother...

HAPPY EARTH DAY

a simple accomplishment...

"Colour is my day-long obsession, joy and torment."

- Claude Monet

...and she goes out in an explosion of colour!!

I did it. Imperfectly, yes, but I did it. My first month long photo challenge! It's been interesting to keep the idea of "simplify" at the forefront of my day. I am surrounded by simplicity... and I am surrounded by clutter. The camera allows me to focus and recognize the simple beauty amidst that clutter.

I have to give props to those bloggers & photographers who are doing 365 challenges... Oy. I found 28 days to be quite the commitment and can appreciate what is needed to embark on a 365 project. Maybe some day... but not today. :-)

Hope you've enjoyed my exploration into simplicity! Keep coming back... I'm not going anywhere. I look forward to sharing more my photography and my simple take on Life here at a simple focus...

simply jag xox

a simple necessity...

“The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.”

- e.e. cummings

Even a rainy day in February can be beautiful when you're wearing rubber boots with polka dots! This puddle is likely sheer ice by now, but today, just for a few hours, we were reminded what spring will be like. And with all the melting snow, soon (yes, soon) this footwear will - once again - become a simple necessity.

simply jag xox

a simple season...

"Rather than viewing Lent as a season of drab and dreary self-examination and sacrifice that waters down its spiritual potency, we might see it as a time offered to us each year simply to sort things out." - http://www.explorefaith.org/

I went to mass yesterday. Regardless of my troubled relationship with the Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday still calls out to me. You see, I love Lent. I really do!

For me, it's not about giving up, it's about giving in... in to the will that god has for me.

And in order to give in to that will, I need to clue in.

And in order to clue in, I need to become the quiet... and simplify.

The take-away from yesterday's mass for me was the phrase "to be at ease in one's own skin before god". I love that. It gives a focus to my Lenten journey... with this in mind & heart, Lent can indeed be a simple season.

simply jag
xox

a simple reason...

"My formula for living is quite simple. I get up in the morning and I go to bed at night. In between, I occupy myself as best I can."

- Cary Grant

I may be stretching it a bit by posting this photo today, but the circumstances warrant it, IMO. How does this embody my February word, simplify? Well, it's like this:

• My nose is dripping.
• My sinuses are tickling.
• My eyes are leaking.
• My throat is recovering.
• My patience is evaporating.
• I took this shot on Friday.
• I post-processed it on Saturday.
• Today is Sunday and I'm keepin' it simple.

There. That should do it. :-)

simply jag xox

p.s. In case you hadn't heard, President Obama was in town on Thursday. His presence lingers on...

another simple shot...

"Simplicity, clarity, singleness: these are the attributes that give our lives power and vividness and joy." - Richard Halloway

I'm still feeling under-the-weather, so I'm posting another simple shot from my archives... one of my favourites actually. I love the simplicity of this image, taken at the National Gallery of Canada last summer - the lines and the unclutteredness of it.

simply jag xox

a simple shot...

“I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee.”

- Carly Simon

A simple shot today...

I'm Day 2 at home with a cold and I feel like crap. I really thought I could fend this one off, but when Hubby caught it last week, I should have known. He NEVER gets a cold, and if it was potent enough to take him down, what chance did I stand?!

Today is Obama's visit to Ottawa. I work downtown and was hoping to catch a glimpse of the motorcade - or better yet, of the man himself! Alas, the Universe presents yet another opportunity to learn Acceptance. Dammit.

simply jag xox

a simple realization...

"When we open our hearts to each other we allow grace to enter. It is as simple as that."

- Kathleen A. Brehony

Hubby's Aunt Gert turns 90 today. What grace! It occured to me that, should I live to be 90, this means I have not yet lived half of my life. I truly have a lifetime ahead of me!

This simple realization is both exciting and terrifying. :-) All I can hope is that I may be surrounded by family & friends, the way Aunt Gert was at her party this past weekend...

simply jag xox