for the past few days i have been trying to keep my eyes on the ground when walking through cusco. for a number of reasons really: so as not to alert one of the many peddlers of my presence, to ignore the immodesty that so easily begs for a brother to stumble, to guard my heart from the ever longing desire to consume.
when i do look up, however, i can't help but notice a lot of the beautiful subtleties of this city.
getting away from the city on a hike, the elderly women with the leather skin, sitting on their balconies or benches, who have learned the joy of silence, and their faces quickly display this.
the beautifully ornate cathedrals filled with the south american iconography which i have not yet grown to appreciate.
or the smell of a wonderfully cooked meal, with families, smiles all around.
i can only hope that these subtleties will continue to make themselves known in the next six months.
may the SPIRIT continue to decide when to look up, or down
i wish i remembered spanish well enough to leave you a proper comment.
ResponderEliminari love this post. i am so looking forward to reading more. i am friends with the wheelocks on facebook and saw your link on matthew's page.
i love this thought about looking down to ignore immodesty, to guard your heart from the desire to consume. i have spent my day driving all over the area, shopping, trying to find something as simple as new clothes or yarn for making a hat and it is all one big canyon of consumption that we live in - how do you hide from it? i look down so much that i am discouraged and empty. i have seen the world in places unlike here (michigan, detroit area suburbs) in which consumption is so much smaller (though still unnecessary luxury in a hand basket), and i feel like a) at least you have the beauty to reflect upon - here, we just have another mall or glowing light - my daughter just began to notice the glowing signs belonging to stores), and b) it's still different. how do we survive here, how can i bring this home and NOT keep my head down constantly, how can i meet my needs on a very simple level, how can i even find a job with that value in my heart? most of our jobs (or at least, those jobs available for a single mother student weekend availability) are based on materialism, consumerism, luxury.
gosh, this post is beautiful. thank you for sharing.
thank you for being so generous with your compliments.
ResponderEliminarhow to keep head low... this is tough. i am just learning myself. learning from the fathers. keep asking for mercy. learning to start over again with each breath. all praise to our LORD's generous grace!
consumption! ay ay ay. what a beast.
i can empathize with your struggle. i struggled before i moved here, but i am finding that consumption here brings new evils when your money goes a long way. the american dollar is worth triple the peruvian sole. so i find the temptation to spend is increased.
"o i can get that, and that, and that."
also with this increase in my "net worth" (jaja) i find the difficulty in digging up the root of self. in america, as a recent graduate working as a barista, it is tough to live the luxurious life. here i have triple the money, now i am a high roller (LORD have mercy).
may G-D guard our hearts from ourselves.
much Peace your way chelsea