Guest post by J. M. Hawkins

Dear Soul,

To be honest, if I weren’t locked into a job and didn’t have a lot of responsibilities, I don’t think I would have a good reason to get out of bed in the morning.

Dear Life,

That’s the reason we’re talking. Arise to be surprised!

And here’s the first surprise: It sounds like you’re so caught up in your own to-do list that you’ve forgotten how to “just be.” The problem is, a to-do list has a way of turning into a do-you-in list. So you may need to balance your to-do list with your to-be list—as in, what sort of calm, delightful, joyful person are you going to be today?

And remember: “to be or not to be” is not the question. You already are! The question is “how to be”—how to be alive, how to be human, how to be the one and only you, how to be present today.

Here’s a little ditty you can sing to remind yourself that as important as it is to do, you must balance that with to be.

Do-be-do-be-do, exchanging glances,

Do-be-do-be-do, daily romances,

No au-to-ma-ton—

Delight the whole day through!

Today, I will quiet my mind and take time to just be…to be still…to be mindful. I will balance the focus on what to do with a delightful focus on how to be. And who knows, I may even take a moment to be happy.

*The Dear Soul/Dear Life dialogs by J.M. Hawkins are used by permission. They are excerpted from his collection, Word From Soul City and were used in discussion groups that met in cities across America in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Guest post by J. M. Hawkins

Dear Soul,

 

Sometimes it feels like in the great sperm race of my conception, everybody lost.

 

Dear Life,

 

Ah, but even if you were right, there’s a new human race every day, and you only need to run it with all your heart. A poet put these words into the mouth of God: “Those who try with all their hearts we are permitted to save.” Sounds right to me.”

 

Dear Soul,

 

I hear that. But lately, I try and try and it doesn’t seem to be enough. Somehow I’m failing at the last moment to put myself totally into it.

 

Dear Life,

 

Ah, I see. Your problem is very simple. Your “try” is way over on one side and your “oomph”—your spirited vigor—is on the other side of town taking a nap. If you’ll bring your “try” and your “oomph” together, you will have “tri-oomph”—triumph! Go ahead and try it. I’ll get my trumpet out to herald your victory.

Today, I’ll realize that the way to have a triumphant life is to live my life as stepping stones of triumphant moments. Now, this very moment, I will try with all my heart-soul-mind because the truth about life is still: “seek and you will find.”

*The Dear Soul/Dear Life dialogs by J.M. Hawkins are used by permission. They are excerpted from his collection, Word From Soul City and were used in discussion groups that met in cities across America in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Guest post by J. M. Hawkins

Dear Soul,

 

I’ve become grimly serious about everything.

 

Dear Life,

 

The remedy is comedy: mine, thine, or divine. But before we go any further, I need to give you a check-up.

The Funnybone Connection

Let’s see now…

Your legbone’s connected to your backbone, and your backbone’s connected to your neckbone, and your neckbone’s connected to your headbone. Uh-oh…Houston, we have a problem! Your headbone is not connected to your funnybone. You’re going to need extensive “relastic” surgery. Without the funnybone connection, you can never really be a whole person. But don’t worry, we have ways…

Today, I’ll be light, and I’ll delight myself and others by seeing everything—especially frustrations and irritations—through the gentle eyes of laughter.

*The Dear Soul/Dear Life dialogs by J.M. Hawkins are used by permission. They are excerpted from his collection, Word From Soul City and were used in discussion groups that met in cities across America in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Guest post by J. M. Hawkins

Dear Soul,

 

Why don’t we just cut to the chase? Why don’t you quit telling me little stories and just tell me the secret?

 

Dear Life,

 

I’m not keeping a secret from you. The secret is in you, and we’ve already exposed the edge of this priceless treasure. Care, not speed, is what we need.

Jackhammer Jake and Alicia the Archaeologist

They each found a site of a buried treasure. Jackhammer Jake, in his uncontrollable impatience, went for the gold—and what was once a priceless statue, after Jake got through with it, was only worth so much an ounce.

Alicia worked slowly, carefully—respecting the treasure. Often she worked painstakingly with a tiny brush. Her discovery now stands whole and intact—a treasure for all to see.

The secret is in you—the treasure is in you. The tiny brush strokes of these stories are designed to help bring your treasure to light, without destroying either the treasure or your life.

Today, I’ll be patient—but persistent—with myself. I’ll realize that in reaching my goals, speed is not the issue; the issue is not stopping.

P.S. Camus once said, “In the midst of winter, I found that there was in me an invincible summer.” To uncover the treasure of a new inner you—a little wiser, a little more compassionate, a more courageous and more joyful inner you—yes, I would say that is worth the patient effort. Wouldn’t you?

— GM