God Memory

In so many words, one of my students made mention of God-memory the other day and my imagination hasn't been able to let it go. It came from her looking for a way to talk about doing the right thing and being aware of God in our lives..."You know...like the body has muscle memory, we've got..."

I have been thinking about all of the different ways this sense is as active a part of my quotidian encounters as taste, touch, smell, hear, and see. How many ways my perception or intuition flares gently with revelation...whether that revelation is of origin, destination, journey, immediate, eschatological, simple beauty, deep challenge, love, mercy, compassion, justice...whatever aspect of my inextricably bound relationship with God that is touched upon by the events of my day, it stimulates my God memory.

This morning I was continuing on with cleaning out my books...culling volumes that served me once but have reverted to being place holders on the shelf. Occasionally I'd have a paper fall out--a bus card, boarding pass, gum wrapper--that had served as a bookmark. A glance would sometimes remind me of where I was when I last opened that particular volume. I knew the lifelong habit of using available means to mark my place in a book would eventually serve me well...I could never keep track of the nice official bookmarks that people regularly gifted a reader-ly child. One of the books was May Sarton's A House by the Sea. I could see the yellow sticking out from the top but whatever it was didn't flutter out when I shoofed the pages looking for hidden treasure. Turns out it was a post-it note at least 8 years old. We both loved it. Thank you!!

It was written in the unmistakeable handwriting of a grand woman with whom I once worked and counted as a friend. She died several years ago now. I read her note and felt the flush of warmth that comes with memories of being respected, loved, drawn out, challenged, supported, taught well...

I am glad for the reminder of where I have come from, where I am headed, and what I want to offer.

God memory, indeed.

 

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