A bowl and a box of blond curly hair, part 2

Now on to the my dancing bowl with water.

I have placed it on my writing desk. Initially I collected it from the kitchen because I was creating a new writing space for myself. I want those objects that are meaningful to my writing life to be near. Creating a sacred space for one's voice needs support. My box of curly blond hair and my bowl of water encourage me.

When I received my Autumnal bowl two weeks ago, I was shocked because it was yet another bowl appearing in my life. I wondered what sort of sign the universe was sending my way. Putting my literary analysis to work, I began analyzing the motif. This is a turning point for the main character, I notice. Her time of discernment. Will she follow the pottery thread, the writing thread, or some different path? Which way will she choose. What is the way forward for her? Clearly the author moves the narrative along with all these bowls, but what does it all mean?

Sometimes analysis is too much because in our earnest openness for an answer, we miss the most obvious message. For me, my message came through another character in the novel. "Maybe it just means to keep on doing what you are already doing. Maybe it is an affirmation." But what am I already doing?

Well, I have taken a pause from my public ministry. I spend more calm time (means I am less stressed) with my children. I read more books to them, get on the floor to put puzzles together, play with stuffed animals (even though I feel like I have lost the ability to be creative in that way), and I recently spent 3 hours sorting Legos (my older children were so grateful for my presence even though I was not actually building with them--taught me about what it means to a child for a parent to just be with them). My children have even noticed the shift in me. Play time is not alwasy easy for me, but I am having fun learning how to play again. Trying to enjoy the process. Well, keep on doing this, right?

And two days a week I have the mornings to write. Scheduling in time to write has been liberating because it is a date I set with myself each week. As my confidence builds, I know I want to keep on doing this too.

And the pottery thread? Once a week I throw, and while I dream of the wheel throughout the week, this too seems just right.

So all of these bowls that have appeared are affirmations. Keep going. Keep writing, keeping throwing pottery, keep spending time with my children, really being present to all these aspects, for this is the holy work that is my life.

So, while I have put this bowl on my desk to claim this space as sacred, it affirms my life. "Keep going," I hear it say, "this seems so right." And because it is full of water, I know new life is coming.