Dear Reader:

Happy Fourth of July! It is hard to believe that the summer has flown so fast and here it is…our nation’s Independence Day!

If any of our Founding Fathers were still alive today…they could  use our Associate Pastor’s -Dorothy Blackwelder- quote (about child-raising) for their own mantra: “The days were long…but the years were short” in reference to the fight for Independence. 

When I came across the title photo earlier yesterday I was quite drawn to this incredible snapshot… with the amazing hand-made garden stone path…filled with dozens of spirals. 

Ever since spotting the spiral icons across Provence, France….under alcoves in doorways, on door handles, on the side of buses, as well as wall hangings or as pieces of jewelry….these snail-shaped emblems have caught my imagination and curiosity. 

I remember it took several days to discover the secret behind the symbolism. It stands for “infinity.” Once you discover spirals you start seeing them in everything ….everywhere. The spiral is the “DNA” of life in animals, plants, and even celestial bodies. 

It was this little children’s book that caught my whimsey (several years ago) and “spiraled” my curiosity.

Today (before going to Mandy and John’s house for the family July 4 celebration) I intend to go into my garden and look for spirals throughout….Here are some samples from the book… on where to look.

Isn’t life amazing….spirals are found in sunflowers, snails, waves crashing on the beach, rain splashing in a body of water, flower petals, elephants, snakes, pea pods, shells and celestial bodies.

There are these beautiful spirals in nature…yet, when the word “spiral” is used as a verb or adverb….there is a chance (with man involved) that things can spiral out of control quickly.

For the colonists living in the mid-1700’s in the 13 colonies…don’t you imagine that they thought their lives were “spiraling” out of control?… as the events leading to the American Revolution broke out faster than they were capable of mentally processing?

Even the Founding Fathers were probably shocked at the speed in which the rally call for revolution and freedom spiraled throughout the colonies.

Then, of course, the terrible eight years of fighting an in- formidable enemy spiraled out of control with a stray shot here or there propelling the colonies into full-blown revolution.

The cost of freedom always comes at a heart-wrenching “spiraling” price…life. So the celebration of our nation’s independence should be both celebratory and reflective.

Anne lead Eva Cate’s class to a labyrinth in the wooded area behind our church Thursday….to explain to them the “spiral” effect of a labyrinth and its spiritual connotation.

When I  talked to Anne about making connections between spirals, the high cost of freedom, and life on this July 4 post she ended up “accidentally” coming across another thought about the symbolism of the spiral through yoga. Anne emailed me:

“Yoga class was awesome today…Nicolle (Morgan), the teacher, began by having us concentrate on our breathing, inhaling deeply…exhaling slowly… and maybe because you and I had just talked about spirals, mine took on a circular, spiraling pattern of breathing.  Our breath spiraling in and our breath spiraling out. 

She said to think about your first breath on earth – it was a deep breath in, breathing in the new, the opportunities of a lifetime, the hope.  And our last breath will be one of release and trust.  It was uplifting (to say the least) to spend that hour spiraling around with hope and trust!”

Okay….now get ready for a few chills….Anne thought, after our discussion on spirals, that she might select a spiral to draw/paint during her weekly Friday artist gathering.

But she changed her mind (or so she thought) and went a different direction….she wrote me.

“No spirals in my artwork today.  Just lots of work on blending some washes, trying to capture the light on this clay jar.”

As I looked at the painting (she had attached to the email) I wondered where in the world she found this perfectly fitting painting of (what looked to me) like the breath of God spiraling out from the universe and space.

I called to ask her and she gasped…”That was the clay jar painting but I think you are right….after hearing about spirals with breath and life….the painting did transform to the new thoughts I had just encountered in yoga.” Here is the painting.

So until tomorrow…May the breath of God propel and spiral us to greater heights of awareness about the miracle of life from first breath to last….from hope to trust. It was this same ‘hope to trust’ that took an “underdog” of tattered, untrained soldiers to victory and freedom….to the creation of our beautiful country.

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Fourth of July! Please let your prayers of gratitude to the real ‘Father of our Country’ spiral in your thoughts today.