Last week I was going on a day trip.  An hour or so from home, we would be there for several hours.  I planned carefully, imagining how it might go, and calculating what I needed – food, warmth and the like.  I also figured what I wanted to get done before we left and what I hoped to accomplish when I returned.  I knew when I wanted to leave.

With that knowledge, I went with the moment. Laying down in it, efforting only for awareness.  In this way I was able to enjoy whatever came up.

The best laid plans, of course.  I left at just the right time, but got home later than I planned – traffic happens.  And when I arrived, the situation was different than expected.  Because I had thought it through, I knew I’d have time the next day to catch up.  I got what I knew was important and let the rest go.  All was well.

Some lessons from this:  You begin by planning well.  Imagining and dreaming what you’d like to happen, what you expect to happen. Spend as much time as you can.  Paint it in living color.  Add the details, down to the shutters on the house or the trim on the car.  The more specific and concrete you can get, the better.

Then, you let it all go.  Open the shutters of disbelief and limited possibilities. Relax into the moment.  Look for the fun. See the lay of the land.  Observe, listen and stay open for guidance.

In the end, the shutters may turn out to be blue instead of green or no shutters at all.  If you’re willing to let go of what you imagined, you may be amazed at what you get instead.  Allowing the warp and woof of life to reshape your vision will make it so much better!  Co-creating, if you will, with life, with God.