I tend to listen to music while I am driving. When I am at home I cherish silence and stillness, so I find car trips especially good times to explore new music. It was a treat to listen to Trish Bruxvoort Colligan’s CD Splash! Bathtime and Bedtime Music for Grown-Up Girls (don’t you just love the title?) Reading Trish’s blog Story Midwife (definitely worth a visit) I know I have found a kindred spirit and her singing voice is so lovely. As often happens while listening to a new CD, I find a song that captivates me and I start to play it over and over as a meditation. This is what happened when I heard “Blessing to the World” begin to play. Here are the lyrics:
You are the heart, You are the hands, You are the voice of Spirit on earth,
And who you are, And what you do, Is a blessing to the world.
They are repeated again and again, also using “we” instead of “you.” What a wonderful image! What would it be like if in everything we did, we imagined ourselves blessing the world? There are several definitions of the word “blessing,” these are two I especially like in connection with the song: “the sanctification of a person or thing to some sacred purpose” or “the infusion of something with holiness.” Jewish tradition has blessings for every occasion and act as a reminder of the holiness of each moment. What if we could walk through the world and with every word uttered, every act committed, we could dedicate it to a sacred purpose and infuse it with holiness? To be a blessing on the world? Of course, everything already is holy, but our intention and awareness is what truly makes the act a blessing. We receive the gift of holiness in every moment, it infuses our very breath. Blessing is the response that rises up within us if we allow it to flow freely, if we offer ourselves as gift.
Thanks Trish for your sharing your creative gifts! And thank you to all the people who touch my life, you are truly blessings to me. I pray that I can return those blessings in all that I do.
-Christine Valters Paintner
5 Responses
“girls like that” is one of the funniest (and most true) songs on that album.
Yes, isn’t it just delicious in Seattle this morning? It does feel like a cool blessing on the day. Thanks Kayce! Christine
thank you for this blessing today. i feel washed over like the fresh seattle air this morning.
Hi Kirstin, How fun, we have two connections — Seattle and I did both my MA and PhD through the GTU, moved from Berkeley up here three years ago and I love it. I hope you are enjoying this great city, I am a big fan of cool rainy weather, so the last few days have been rather trying for me! Are you doing an internship with an Episcopal church here? Blessings, Christine
Hi Christine,
I just found you through RGPB. I’m a student at CDSP in Berkeley, and in Seattle for the summer.
I’m enjoying reading this. Thank you.