I found out via the radio on my commute this morning, that today is National Playlist Day.
https://www.nationalplaylistday.org/
Organised by Playlist for Life.
https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/resources/
This video introduces the idea, which I think is amazing. We all know people affected by dementia.
So, I wonder first what might be on your playlist for the day you've experienced this day?
Would it be full of upbeat songs, melancholic numbers, frenzied heavy metal, soft ballads, love songs, an eclectic mix etc?
I think mine would be an eclectic mix, as is often the case in chaplaincy work. It's been a really blessed day, tinged with sadness and a little sprinkling of mad chaos.
It's a bit of a blur again as I sit down to reflect although my heart tells me it's been good in that I've connected well with people throughout the day. A real mix of patients, relatives and staff.
One lady was particularly distressed when I walked onto one of the wards and I was able to bring prayerful calm to her fear. That was a memorable moment.
I also connected with a relative of a patient who was amazed to meet a real life chaplain, having only seen them on television programmes. We had a fascinating discussion together and I think I was able to bring some insight into the wide and varied role that I get to do lovingly, day by day.
Sadly a young patient died today and I had chance to talk with the porters who were tasked with transporting the patient to the mortuary. They were telling me the tragic things that they have witnessed over the years and the stories they've been aware of. They are often overlooked for support because their exposure to trauma is not really considered. It was good to chat things through with them.
Second, I wonder what's on the playlist of your life? Key moments that are connected to certain songs.
Here are some of mine,
This is not an exhaustive list, I have chosen quite a number more. It has been a really spiritual practice in thinking back over my life and the times I've associated with different songs and situations. It has been wonderful to give myself time to do this.
Maybe you'd like to, especially as today is the day marked out on the calendar. I'm still working out how I'm going to find the right rhythm in focussing on my spiritual formation going forward. This has also been in my thinking today, as it has been over the last week.
I suppose there are similarities here, in creating a list. In recognising the profound connection between music and moments. As, has been identified throughout the Inside Out sessions with Renovaré, that our formation is happening in the primordial soup of our ever unfolding lives. The decisions, the situations and even the songs.
Today was entitled, What is My Picture of the Gospel? And the emphasis was on it being far wider and all encompassing than we might have been brought up believing. When we see the vastness of the good news, we live with greater intention.
So, I end the week with this piece from The Hidden Orchard Project, on just that.
Use Your Mind for Good
Here is an example: as many in the world prepare themselves for bad days, we must be careful with their mindset during this preparation. Envisioning the worst-case scenarios vividly and frequently contributes to them becoming a reality. In the end, we may spend more time meditating on what we do not want to happen than the outcomes we want to see.
We should recognize that the images we create in our minds and the stories we tell ourselves will inevitably manifest in reality.
So, make preparations for a rainy day, but also invest time in imagining a reality where your preparations are not necessary.
Rebbe Nachman taught:
“Human thought has tremendous potential. When we concentrate our thoughts on something and really imagine it to be, we can actually force it to happen.”
Instead, be aware of the nature of our thoughts. When we drift into the negative, simply take a moment to close your eyes and steer them back to the positive.
"When you are connected inside, everything you do outside becomes bound up with that lifeline and unified. And if you feel yourself losing focus during the day, just stop and reorient yourself. Study something that feeds your soul; take five minutes to focus on conscious contact with G_D."
- R. Baruch Gartner. Living Aligned. Page 47
And the article ends by saying,
It does not matter how many times you've lost in the battle of the mind. At any moment, we can use our intention and reconnect. This is the essence of repentance (Tshuva) and it is why we are here.
Our playlist can help us to this. Have a wonderful weekend. Thank you for reading.