Soul Work

Of all the places I have lived and all the places I have traveled and all the people I have met, I don’t recall ever having any one experience within such a short span of time as significant as this.

Over the course of the past seven days I took an Ethics class with Dr. Katie Geneva Cannon. I was ambivalent about signing up for the course: 7 days, 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. each day, 4 books and two homework assignments each day. But one of my classmates said, “Sabrina, you have to take this course.” To say that I am happy that I did would be an understatement.

Over the course of 7 days we did so much more than learn from the textbook (and it is my belief that the best classes extend themselves beyond book knowledge and researched information). We laughed, we cried, we shared, we supported, we affirmed, we challenged … we grew. I have never experienced my classmates in this way before. Even after endless class presentations, I have never heard their voices like this before. I have never been so profoundly changed by a single class and a single professor (over such a short period of time) ever before.

This morning as I prepared to write this blog, I started asking myself why is this the case? The one answer I can attest to with assurance is that I was ready … my heart, mind and soul were ripe for this experience.

What does that mean? It means that 2013 was about change for me – difficult change, necessary change … transforming change. As the year progressed, more change occurred. 2014 started on the cusp of the acceptance of all that had occurred and the realization that there is more to come.

Yesterday I started recounting how many times I have sung the words to a gospel song : “Lord, I am available to you … my storage is empty and I am available to you” or recited “my body is a living sacrifice for you … use me as you will.” And how often I have gotten sidetracked, distracted or discouraged. It can be a lonely journey, so there are times when the sheer desire to fit in has overshadowed me following the work that I know I am gifted to do.

Last year was the beginning of all of that changing and this year is but a continuation. When I arrived in Dr. Katie Cannon’s class, I’d cleared the way of a great deal of clutter – including my former job. I’d released the hold on several relationships and desires to keep people in my life who are not contributing to me being the absolute best version of myself. And my soul was ready to receive.

I received … much more than I ever imagine. I am forever transformed by and through this experience. I submit to my call. I walk forward in a new way. My choices are different. My life is different. I am different. I am thankful. I am moving forward to do the work my soul must have.

Forever grateful,

Sabrina