Author: Michael Tino

Many holes in fabric can be repaired by people with sewing expertise. I am not one of those people. The repairs I make are obvious and usually a little crooked–they make plain that the fabric once had a hole. Sometimes, I think that repairs in the fabric of our lives are like that–there will always be the mark of the tear or worn spot even if we’ve restored structural integrity to the fabric. The repairs can be noticed, and even cherished, in time. -Michael Tino (CLF)

How do you notice repairs made to the fabric of your life?

Sometimes, amidst all that is swirling around us, our spiritual practices fall to the side of our lives. In those moments, we give ourselves the grace to come back to the things that have helped us connect with something larger than ourselves, without guilt or apology.

When have you had to come back to a spiritual practice?

 

We apologize for three days without Daily Compass! Daily posts resume today.

Our bodies, all different and with different abilities, sometimes need attention and repair. Medical attention, body and energy therapies, mental health work, devices that make things more accessible, and spiritual practices can all help us attend to the necessary repair of our bodies.

How can you attend to the repair of your body today?

My dad was practically addicted to home repair.  Squeaky door? Done — fixed!  Special table built into the wall by the phone? Built and installed!  I so admired this about my dad; and it also meant that he was in a constant state of doing, doing, doing. Having conversations with my dad were difficult, as there was always a project on his mind. -Beth Murray (CLF)

When has a repair fixed one set of problems and also created different obstacles?

There is an old wisdom story about an elderly person who plants fruit tree saplings. When asked why they are planting trees that they will never see bear fruit, they reply that they are doing it for the next generation, who will be able to reap the fruit and have enough to eat.

What are you planting for the next generation?