Still Here

on side glances, gaze adjustments, and the glimpses of love through it all

Mar 10, 2023

Words are clothes that thoughts wear.
Samuel Butler

I’m often inspired by the view just outside my writing desk window. It’s where I find myself writing most days, and today’s no exception. There’s a woodpecker hanging out on the tree outside that window. He’s there often. I’m assuming it’s the same bird, and I’m also assuming it’s a he. I’ll blame the latter on a childhood filled with Woody Woodpecker cartoons.

I’ve memorized his little ritual: carefully looking at a spot on the tree, the inevitable curious side glance, the cha-cha flurry of little woodpecker steps to the right and left before giving that spot another side glance from the opposite angle.

There isn’t a whole lot of wood pecking during this process. It’s mostly thinking and rethinking as his gaze is adjusted. His little dance has replaced the familiar rhythmic sound I’m used to hearing from him.

He’s moved on to another tree, now. Happily pecking away, indecision has been replaced by action.

Wait a minute…he’s back at the original tree pondering his life choices yet again.

I guess my writing desk view is equal parts inspiration and distraction.

And the metaphors for my life lately abound.

I’ve needed to pull away from this writing space (along with a few others) as I think and rethink, and give my words a gaze adjustment with a side glance (or two…or twenty). That’s replaced the familiar rhythmic sound the words from my head and heart have made for quite some time.

So much of the past few years’ writing energy has been about making sense of all the words overflowing in my heart, mind, and soul. Sorting through enough to see if there was a book hidden in them, discovering there in fact was one, and then launching that book baby out into the world.

And while that book baby will continue to be nurtured and revisited as it makes its way beyond the heart and Google doc that was its first home, the inevitable shift towards a new focus has begun.

New focus? Or maybe one that’s been there all along.

Still figuring that out, honestly. The glimpses of Love that are infused in the grit and grace of life, love, and faith on this side of eternity are still the heart and soul of most of my words. Though I’m thinking that glimpses of love is a more accurate description than grit and grace. Hence, the new email header and title for this space :-)

I’m also hoping to share a little more about my role as Safety Advocate. It’s a fairly recent God-nudge in service to my local church and community, but it’s definitely been a heart song with a lifetime full of love glimpses - both the lower case and capital L kind. Glimpses that haven’t erased the grief of safety losses experienced throughout my life, but have instead informed my grief, and been faithful gaze-adjusting companions alongside it.

True to your word,

you let me catch my breath

and send me in the right direction.

Psalm 23:3 (MSG)

What’s been readjusting your gaze lately? Any topic you’d like to see words from me about?

Until next time,

Becky

glimpses of love

Still Here

on side glances, gaze adjustments, and the glimpses of love through it all

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