Surf's Up

Last week we were away in Niagara Falls for a work retreat/conference.  I am often very uncomfortable in this atmosphere because I feel as though I don't fit in.  I'm not complaining that I don't fit in because I like that I don't fit it, it's just uncomfortable.  The good thing is, there are others who don't fit in who happen to be my friends so we have a great time!

Anyway, our guest speaker was very, very good and I learned a lot from her.  Stuff that would have been helpful to learn a long time ago.  She spoke on prayer. I should have taken notes because she said a lot of wisdom that I have since forgotten.  It was great at the time but my retention is lacking. I guess the thing that stood out most for me was the fact that we often feel guilty and beat ourselves up because of our lack of praying.  The reason for this is that we have one idea, one ideal of what and how prayer is and works. we are so wrong.

She likened it to a beach.  The beach being prayer.  We all go to the beach but what we do when we get there is all very different depending on the personality type.  There are the sunbathers, the surfers, the snorklers and the ice cream sellers.  In other words, some like to be still and silent and ponder, others need to be active and experiencing and moving void of an agenda.  Still some need an agenda and focus and a need and results while others are busy questioning and thinking, studying and learning.  When we understand that there are so many ways to approach prayer we realize; a) I've been doing this all along so I'm not as pathetic as I oringinally thought and b) I can do this!! How liberating.

I resonated most with the surfer (experience, movement, creativity, no agenda) with bouts of sunbathing (being still, few words) as well.  I have done several different personality tests and discoveries and there is just no way around it, I am who I am.  Once you really get a good understanding of yourself and how you think and work and live, you are free to live within that and develop that and use your strengths to leave your mark on this life.  You also learn a bit about others and why they can be so irritating!  (ha! ha! jokes)