You’ve seen the move. It is Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music; Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Arms wide, twirling, face to the sky.
My daily commute has me transferring trains at 30th
Street station twice each day. One evening recently on my way home I was in the
ladies room. On my way out the door, paper towel in hand, I glimpsed something
which made no sense, but changed the rest of my evening.
Pure. Unbridled. Joy.
This young woman looked younger than me – though I’m no good
judge of age – and for some reason on her way into the ladies room, in the
midst of the mundane exchange of people coming in and going out, she twirled.
Her face and eyes smiling; her body posture open. What a peculiar and beautifully joyful sight.
Now, I’m no psychiatrist like some at St. Martin’s and no
Energy Medicine Specialist like my friend Barbara, but something real happened.
A psychic energy transfer. We talk about emotions being contagious, we talk
about energy flow. It was as if this woman’s cup of joy was overflowing and the
energy of that needed to get out. She couldn’t contain it lest she burst. It
went flying out in all directions and landed on me. And I was filled with it.
I know nothing of this woman, but she transferred to me
powerful energy in that moment. Being present to her joy was palpable, even in
the few seconds it took to walk by on my way out the door. I keep thinking of her now, close to a week
later. How beautiful the joy. And the energy of that lingers when I think of
it.
I’m conditioned to see this and speak of God. Of the Holy
Spirit working in and moving through us in these moments of energy exchange. Of
God blessing one and that blessing so filling an open heart that it can do
nothing but increase exponentially and spread outward.
I had another experience just Tuesday. Given to me this time
not by a person, but the sky. Out the
train window I looked up from my smartphone and what met my eyes was brilliant.
The sky was pink, blue, fuchsia, red, and orange; and changing each moment I
watched. The clouds were mixed diagonal lines to the right and leopard spots to
the left. And the buildings black shadows against the canvas. I was nearly frantic with excitement from the
energy of its beauty. I desperately tried to take a photo but, especially
through the window, the camera couldn’t capture the vibrancy of the colors that
my eyes blessedly can discern. I stared
hard at it hoping to fuse the image onto my brain. Full of awe and wonder, “The
Sky!” I wanted to shout, “Quick, everyone look at the sky! See its
brilliance!” Not one to want to look
crazy or make a scene on a train full of strangers, I impotently posted to
Facebook.
It all makes me wonder – what other joys am I missing? What
have I not looked up to see, to feel? And how have I shared my overflowing cup
when I have been so filled with joy? What has brought you joy recently? How
have you shared that joy? How have you returned to God the blessings and beauty
that God has bestowed upon us and shares through each of us?
Where is your girl dancing in the bathroom? What is your
brilliant sky? I want to hear about it. Share the joy.
- Natalee Hill
A related video worth watching, from TedxSF.
