It is in our idleness . . .

"It is in our idleness, in our dreams, that the submerged truth sometimes comes to the top."
- Virginia Woolf


And it is this long forgotten idleness that we seek out in 2010. I had resolved not to resolve this year and made it to 2010:Week Two before being overwhelmed by the possibilities that a new year holds. And in that realization, I recognize the need for more idleness, more dreams and the value of beginning of the year reflections (if not resolutions). Thank you, Virginia.

And so instead of thinking about the Statue of Liberty that I'm not seeing, I'm embracing the relative quiet of an evening at home, of the melting snow and the beauty of idleness. With all the associated evil I rarely consider the actual definition of idleness. It is simply to be "not employed or busy; avoiding work or employment; not in use or operation" which I take to mean even more simply: stillness.

You know what? I made it this far into the post before thinking "what a crock". No stillness here! The kids are fighting over ice. Yes, ice. Sedona doesn't want ice and Jordan is accusing her of being wasteful. And so there is squealing and mocking and feigned innocence. And the cars zoom past and the water heater is still not heating and well, with great resolve I decide not to dwell on any of that.

Instead, I offer other words of wisdom from my dearest Virginia - "Arrange whatever pieces come your way." The pieces today may be remarkably different than what I ordered. Some pieces more glorious than I knew possible, others decidedly, well, not.

But being empowered to arrange it myself (or rather with a bit more of God) means stillness or not . . . no pouting! no surrender! only determination to see the beauty and to hear the joy and to be nothing less than grateful for having been given pieces to arrange.

Searching for idleness, creating space in this new year for dreams might mean I have to arrange the pieces a bit differently if any stillness is to be found and valued. It might mean being quiet and reflective. More importantly though it now means ARRANGE THE PIECES! and arrange I will.

Stay tuned for more of what we're embracing in this gift of a new year.