Meditation: Sparkle!

A friend recently returned from a business trip to China full of enthusiasm for a contact she had made with a big company. She had "hit it off" with them. As she left she asked them what made the difference, and was told they always deliberately looked to work with people who "sparkle". 

Sparkle [spahr-kuh l]: to shine or glisten with little gleams of light, glitter.

We know so many people: friends, acquaintances, 
children, family, who sparkle with life - 
people on trains, people at work and play: 
people unable to contain their spirit,
alive with the sparkle of creation.

Adults, darkly dressed and with important tasks, 
others relying on their decision, experience, or whim,
always self aware and making the right impression
trying to conceal their spirit, but still
alive with the sparkle of creation.

The dancer or composer or artist or physicist seeing 
the light of creation, records without words directly on each soul;
aware only of the wonder, not seeing the rest,
overflowing with life, not caring to contain their spirit,
alive with the sparkle of creation.

Young parent's light flickers, exhausted by work 
and worry and children. But the glimmer of a tired friend 
or partner revives hope and re-kindles the gleam, 
re-ignites the dream of love and new life, 
resurrecting in all the spark of creation. 

Children, full of energy, full of light!
always running, charged with energy and vitality.
Care-less and taking every thing for granted: 
of course I am full of life! watch me fly!
alive with the sparkle of creation.

Young animals bounding with life, leaping stiff-legged,
hanging still in the air for long moments,
turning to check mother was watching,
overflowing with life-spirit,
alive with the sparkle of creation.

And as well, take joy from those who reflect 
our light; people who take the little light 
twinkling out from our gloom, and glitter it back, 
reminding us we too must see ourselves even
from our dark, still dazzling with the sparkle of creation.

Suggestions for meditation

Always begin by offering your time to God: something like "My loving God, I love you with my whole heart and above all things. I give you this time when I am reaching out to you" and then a few moments reminding yourself of some of the blessings God has given you - the clear signs of God's love for you.

Read the mediation over slowly a couple of times.

Listen for Jesus' personal message for you.

If you would prefer a Bible reading I suggest John 10, 7-10 ...

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All those who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

1. Read this passage or the meditation slowly a couple of times.
2. What word of phrase jumps out to speak to you?
3. Why? Try to put yourself into those words. Maybe imagine Jesus speaking, and reply.
4. Then spend 5, or 10, or 20 minutes with those words, or the word LIGHT or LIFE. 
5. You might want to begin the meditation using the breathing exercise I suggest in We have two minds. After a minute or two focused on your breathing, move your focus to the word/s you have chosen. 

Each time your attention moves away from the word/s, push the distraction gently aside and return to the word ("without the intervention of analytical thought" as The Cloud of Unknowing puts it).

You may need a countdown clock. 

At the end thank God, and return to your day.