Out In The Mountains : Health & Wellbeing

Since resting makes it possible for all the other aspects of our lives to matter at all, I am going to practice what I preach and rest from writing a full-length column this month. Between now and when the fall begins I am going to finish building my new deck on the back of my house and then sit in the sun and read the books I have selected for my summer reading. (Yes, reading is restful to me and something I don’t do for myself as much as I would like!)

My reading list includes Stealing Jesus: How Fundamentalism Betrays Christianity by Bruce Bawer, Coming Out Through Fire: Surviving the Trauma of Homophobia by Leanne McCall Tigert, Coming Out Within: Stages of Spiritual Awakening for Lesbians and Gay Men - The Journey from Loss to Transformation by Craig O’Neill and Kathleen Ritter, and last but not least, SQ: Connecting with Our Spiritual Intelligence by Danah Zohar and Dr. Ian Marshall. (I am planning to let you know what I think about these books in my September column and call it “Reading Matters.” I can already highly recommend Bawer’s book to you!)

The other reason I need to rest from writing a full-length column this month has to do with how much has happened in my life since last summer. These 12 months have been personally and professionally delicious but I am full to the brim from feasting at this great meal of life experiences. Like a baggage carrier on a safari made to walk too far too fast the first 3 days, I’m telling the “boss lady” in me that I need to stop and rest so my soul can catch up with the rest of me.

When I take the time to digest all that’s happened in the last 12 months, when I let my soul catch up to the rest of me then I can figure out, with The Holy Spirit’s help, what really matters in my life and what doesn’t. And when I know what really matters to me then perhaps I can keep writing monthly columns that matter to you. See you in September!

Rev. Christine Leslie, cofounder and director of Triangle Ministries, A Center for Lesbian & Gay Spiritual Development, is available for individual and couple counseling, weddings, and retreat/workshop leadership. She can be reached at 860-7106 or revcsl@aol.com .