Meaningful Reflections: Pause
Life gets so busy that we often neglect to hear the whispers from within that remind us of who we are, of our purpose, and encourage us to move forward in light and hope.
By Kim Crawford Meeks
Spiritual Care Manager
We are all familiar with the words “pause” and “restart” as options when we stream shows, music and videos, and we often restart devices to enable them to refresh and function properly.
As humans, we also need to pause and restart. We have heard the saying, “Stop and smell the roses.” What great advice!
Many of us who are coffee drinkers, for example, practice the pause in our ritual of drinking coffee. We smell the aroma of the coffee brewing, which triggers those feel-good endorphins. As we pour the fresh brew into our favorite mug, we breathe in the aroma with a long deep breath, as if giving life to our souls once more.
We allow the warmth of the mug to bring comfort and energy to our hands as if the coffee is seeping into our pores to fuel us for the race. We sip and feel the warmth as if flowing into our souls to hear our voice within saying “I can.”
Due to our ability to refresh after this experience, we want to encourage others to find the same renewal. We find the perfect mug for a friend and prepare it just the way he or she needs it to be. Together we delight in this pause of renewal.
Author Nancy Lankston advises, “Pause. Listen for the whispers of your soul. Soul quietly flows through every part of you.” Life gets so busy that we often neglect to hear the whispers from within that remind us of who we are, of our purpose, and encourage us to move forward in light and hope.
We have so much noise around us, which may drown out that voice within that says, “I can.” You may not experience a pause through drinking coffee. Your pause may be when you stop and smell the roses.
Perhaps just try stopping wherever you are and practice the steps of P.A.U.S.E. one to three times per day, and encourage others to pause also:
P - Pause and step into inner peace.
A - Allow deep breathing.
U - Utilize your inner strength.
S - Seek the voice within your soul.
E - Encourage others to pause along the journey.
May we all pause and refresh.
Please also visit the USA Spiritual Care Page for other stress-reduction exercises and resources.
Patients, family members and USA Health associates are encouraged to call the Meaningful Reflections Line at 251-445-9016 for a daily recorded word of encouragement.
