Letter from Jason – June 2019

Dear Honey Run Friends,

Do you worry? I do. I know I should not, but I do. I have read countless books and blogs on the uselessness of worrying, and yet I repeat this crazy act often in my life. I seek quotes to help me add positivity to my situation. Quotes like:

“When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened.”
– Winston Churchill

“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.”
– Leo F. Buscaglia

Worry is nothing more than fear. Fear and trust are opposites. Trusting God is the antidote to fear and worry. –  (Source:  https://www.frontiersman.com/faith/overcoming-the-sin-of-worry/article_bf14dc72-81fe-11e7-9f33-d7dbe8e8dbb0.html)

And when all my intellectual exercises fail to release me from my self-imposed prison of worry, I retreat outside and find comfort in the created nature that surrounds me. The chirping and singing of the birds create a chorus that calms my soul. The soft touch of a light June breeze on my skin sends relaxing energy throughout my body. I watch the butterflies peacefully encircle me as they flutter around. I watch the trees dance in step together as the gentle breeze turns the leaves into giant sails. I see three baby raccoons discovering the world and each other. And as I am appreciating all this beauty, I realize that none of these animals or plants worry. Their needs are met. Just as mine are. And it is with this realization I find peace.

Please know that this is not a one-time revelation for me. I need to repeat this exercise often as I traverse the stresses of life and find my way on this journey. I am lucky to live in a rural area that I am afforded this natural beauty all around me. My prayer for you is if you struggle as I do with worry, I hope you can find a sanctuary of peace for yourself in your daily life or at least retreat from the city a few times each year to recharge and reset your soul while realigning with your purpose in this life.

Your in-recovery worrying Innkeeper,

Jason