Dear TSJ Friends,
I have been thinking about you a lot lately and wondering what adventures you may be having. 
LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE!
Whenever I hear the word “adventure” I immediately think of our late “Mr. Tom” and I know most of you remember him with fondness. This will confirm your memories of the legacy of simple goodness and humor he has left behind. That alone is inspiring.
Mr. Tom encouraged me to pursue becoming a Life Coach for parents and teachers as an adventure. He encouraged me to allow myself to be playful and even bought Solomon (who became my muse) for me! Tom also knew we need guiding and comforting at times – especially when we might want to use a word other than “adventure” to describe an experience!
Still, I notice when I do follow Tom’s advice to treat things that frighten me as adventures rather than as final exams, it does inspire me to relax into the experience more.
So in the spirit of approaching today’s blog letter as an adventure, I offer you this rather playful analogy to ponder.
THE CAR WASH
Several weeks ago after finishing up running errands, John suggested we get the car washed. And he wanted to go through a wash I would not have chosen because I get nervous going there. I prefer the simple ones where I drive in, keep control of the car, and let the machines wash and dry the car and drive away.
But this wash was the type where you are in one of several lines feeding into the wash chambers. Eventually you slowly make your way to the garage. You are greeted by at least two people with hoses aimed at your car for a pre-wash. They loosen the accumulated dirt.
Then you slowly enter. The sign says: Put the car in neutral. Take your foot off the brakes (and accelerator pedal and steering wheel.)
In other words, let go of control! Your car will move forward slowly and automatically. (Similarly, our bodies move automatically as directed by the brain.)
When you enter, the first thing you experience is rushing water thundering down so loudly you can hardly hear your own voice when you talk with someone. Then it clicks into a different and less thundering sound while soap is squirted all over the car and windshield, creating little gullies of water flowing every which way down to the ground.
Finally, you have been moved to the rinse phase and are almost done when the thunder of roaring wind comes around your car blowing the water so hard it scampers away.
As you move forward, the door opens and you see the light saying, “Thank you. You may drive again!”
Back in gear, foot on accelerator pedal, hands on steering wheel, off you go clean again for new adventures! (Admittedly, you drive carefully for a bit because you don’t want to get dirty again for awhile) . . .
But your car will get soiled again and
you will need another wash!
WISDOM IN THE CAR WASH
Though this is not usually my favorite kind of car wash, it turned into an adventure of sorts and stirred up unanticipated inspiration. Adventures are like that. I even want to go back.
I could hear Solomon whisper in my ear. “This is an analogy about our mind and the Spirit.” Our minds often become confused with accumulated hurts, worries, burdens, fears and anxieties and need a sudsing and rinsing in order to let our light shine again.
Like our cars accumulate crud simply from traveling the roads of life, our minds accumulate crud that dulls our spirit and our vision – simply from the act of living in a troubled world. We are tempted toward self blame or condemnation rather than seeking help and renewal for our spirit when it is clouded or clogged simply because life brings “crud” into our lives.
So from this car wash adventure I create a personal “mind wash” exercise for myself! It has come in handy several times lately.
Using the image of the car wash, have practiced easing into a calm state at night when my brain wants to keep going and my body want to sleep!
It is not a perfect analogy, but it is helpful for me. I hope it will be useful for you too.
SUMMARY
!. We need tools and strategies to negotiate life’s adventures.
2. Today’s goal is to offer you another strategy for discovering rest and inner peace/calm.
3. The steps I use are similar to car wash story:
A ~ SLOW DOWN (like the prewash.)
Idea: Choose a saying that helps calm your mind. A couple of mine are from the Scriptures where Christ said: “Let not your heart be troubled” and “Come to me if you are weary or burdened.”
Simple prayers of gratitude are also helpful as a pre-wash for the mimd.
B~ PUT YOUR BRAIN IN NEUTRAL!
This is the hardest part! The best way to do this is to simply breathe in through your nose slowly and slowly exhale through you mouth. Do this several times. Focus on that and you will most easily come into neutral – which means coming into the present moment.
When I breathe in through my nose I say “Thank” and on the slow exhale through the mouth I say “You.” Thank…you is an expression of gratitude which helps the spirit work in us.
Hint: if I do this slowly (which helps greatly to downshift my brain) it works almost any time or anywhere. Each breath is a thank you to God for this adventure called life!
C~ BE STILL AND ALLOW
Life will always carry you forward (hands off the wheel and your foot off the pedals). Allow yourself to experience rather than control the moment.
For me, it helps to think of the wash water as God’s Love and mercy making my burdens disappear for awhile – washing away the worries my mind accumulates.
D ~ BECOME BLESSED AND CALM
The suds are the forgiveness and mercy of a loving Shepherd.
The rinse is our final blessing to move into our next adventure with hope in our hearts and knowledge of where to return for cleaning again and again.
I know this a rather imperfect and perhaps silly analogy! But if it helps even one person sleep better when troubled by getting stuck thinking about the yesterdays or tomorrows of life instead of resting in the now... I would be delighted.
As always, I enjoy hearing your thoughts and learning from your feedback. You can do so at marg.m.cole@gmail.com! All comments are private.
With love and gratitude for shared adventures,
Margie and Solomon
