Bob Erskine, who is a cartoonist, recently featured a drawing in which a fortuneteller is sitting across the table from a dog.\u00a0 Peering into the crystal ball before her, the fortuneteller says to the dog, \u201cI see a series of short-term romances, a number of territorial disputes, some questionable food choices and a lot of naps.\u201d<\/p>\n
The quick identification with the dog\u2019s fortune that the cartoon invites is, of course, at the heart of its genius.\u00a0 On days when our lives seem overwhelmed by the humdrum and predictable, there are spiritual exercises and truths that can be of help:<\/p>\n
One, be gentle with yourself.<\/em><\/p>\n Experiences of this kind are part of the normal course of life and they can be triggered by a variety of factors.\u00a0 One cause can be fatigue.\u00a0 When we are tired, it can be difficult to focus or find delight in a day\u2019s activity.\u00a0 Ironically, another cause can be the successful completion of a big project.\u00a0 When we are engaged in a large, time-consuming effort it is not uncommon to hit something of an emotional vacuum on the other side of success.\u00a0 Don\u2019t be surprised to find that it will take some time to focus your energy on a new effort.<\/p>\n Two, honor those spaces.<\/em><\/p>\n It may be time to rest; give attention to some rather less demanding tasks; or evaluate your next steps.\u00a0 The fallow moments in a transition are a gift in and of themselves.\u00a0 Don\u2019t fill them too quickly with new activity.<\/p>\n Three, give thanks.<\/em><\/p>\n Our lives move so quickly that it is often all but impossible to celebrate what we have accomplished or have been given.\u00a0 Celebration isn\u2019t a waste of time \u2014 it is an appropriate and even necessary step in remembering what we have accomplished thus far.\u00a0 Thanksgiving, in particular, can help us to remember those times and places where \u2014 though we felt stretched or exhausted \u2014 God helped us to find a way forward.<\/p>\n It may feel like a dog\u2019s life from time to time and the nap is not a bad idea.\u00a0 But there are gifts in the humdrum that even a dog might not appreciate.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Bob Erskine, who is a cartoonist, recently featured a drawing in which a fortuneteller is sitting across the table from a dog.\u00a0 Peering into the crystal ball before her, the fortuneteller says to the dog, \u201cI see a series of short-term romances, a number of territorial disputes, some questionable food choices and a lot of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":240,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-spiritual-perspectives"],"yoast_head":"\n