NormsMilfordBlog

From a recent post to the Jack’s Winning Words blog comes this little yoga saying – “When you inhale you are taking the strength from God.  When you exhale it represents the service you are giving to the world.”  Jack went on to write that we should all stop and, recognizing our breathing, contemplate our relationship with God.

But, don’t hold your breath. As you are thinking about God, think also about exhaling and giving back in service to the world. That can initially be a rather overwhelming thing to contemplate, with thoughts of “What can I do? I’m just one little person” or maybe “I have no skills to help the world.” The fact is that your time and willingness to help are the only things that you need to get started making a difference in the world. Don’t hold your breath.

Maybe, like most you don’t see or know about the needs that are right in your own back yard. The fact is that the world around you is brimming with unfulfilled needs. There are people who need food prepared for them or delivered to them. There are millions of people who cannot function on a day-to-day basis without someone’s help. There are children who are too hungry to learn in school. There are thousands in hospitals and nursing homes that long for someone to talk with. There are caregivers struggling to to get through each day without anyone to relieved them. There are families trying to deal with hardships or losses with no one to turn to for help or counseling. Don’t hold your breath.

Perhaps your challenge (excuse) is that you don’t know how to find those in need and how to get started helping. There are many organizations in every community in the country that exist to help people in need and those organizations always, always need help from volunteers willing to do the work. Those organizations can provide you with the opportunities to jump in and do what is needed. That is really the key – to be willing to do what is needed. Not everyone gets to stand on the food line serving the food when the TV cameras show up. There are many people in the background doing tasks like preparing the food or washing the dishes. Those are often thankless tasks, but essential to the process. Often, when I volunteer for something, I’ll ask, “What’s the job that nobody wants to do?” Then that’s the job I ask for. In church event’s that’s usually set-up and tear-down or perhaps washing dishes. Don’t hold your breath.

So, as you sit there in whatever pose you are holding in your yoga class, contemplate God with the breath that you took in and then focus on how you can help in your community with the breath that you ae about to exhale. Don’t hold your breath…the needs are too great and there’s a job waiting for you to serve your community. Now exhale and get out there. Don’t hold your breath.