Hot Lava

So I'm not very good at this blogging thing am I? Where do the months go? Today is Sunday, and I'm meeting with a friend soon to talk about some trouble she's having, then I should head over to my women's group that meets every other week...we'll be discussing our new book: Leaving Egypt; Finding God in the Wilderness Places (the author is connected with our former church in SF which I find exciting for some reason.) I've already finished the first 2 chapters and took the blessing of a lazy Sun. morning with coffee in bed to review the 2nd one - about how addictions aren't just the obvious ones -  and came across this passage:

...a quote from Thomas Merton: "To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything is to succumb to violence."

I am convicted and intrigued by this idea. The verb "allow" is key I think. It reminds me of the other day when I was telling my daughter "You always have a choice. You can always say no." Her reply? "Nuh uh Mom! What if you're about to fall into hot lava and die?!"

Ah, the wisdom of a 9 year-old. But she kind of got the "violence" thing didn't she. I guess the idea is to stay away from the hot lava, which is what Thomas Merton is trying to say.  I'm going to keep this in mind this week as I face my multitude of conflicting concerns. I've already surrendered to too many demands and committed to too many projects! (Can I get an amen sister? I know I'm not alone!) But I think I'll start saying no for a little while after this and see what happens. Because I really don't want to fall in hot lava and die! ;)

Psychologically, addiction uses up desire. It is like a psychic malignancy sucking our life energy into specific obsessions and compulsions, leaving less and less energy available for other people and other pursuits." 

- Gerald May