how important is my spiritual life?

In my yahoo mail box every day, I receive an e-mail from a writer who has a website that offers books and art for sale and musings for free.The site is called "Heron Dance" and just the name makes me smile.

Today, I opened his message and he asks this question,"What would my life be like if I defined success solely in spiritual terms?"I loved that question.I've been thinking it over and "spiritual terms" to me is a broad notion.Another way that I would phrase it would be, have I spent time on the look-out for the Lord today?

Right now, in the back yard under the slightly budding maple,are five plump robins who are splashing and carrying on in their orange and brown splendor.They might be relatives of the ones that sought worms in our summer green yard.Their call brings me right back to freedom,running,friends and laughter. Those birds are like a beautiful painting to me,they take me to another place.Robins and memories cascading from His hands.

This bubbling cauldron of success requires effort on my part.Responding when I am called to prayer,when I feel that nudge or just taking the time.Serving when called.Answering that small voice that tells me,"Do this,now."

Let me give you a Holy Spirit success story.Last week at Mass, I saw a young woman in front of me that I didn't know.We have been in this church for 40 years and know many faces.Before Mass, the priest urges us to turn to each other and say hello.I took the woman's hand and said ,"I'm Sharon, how are you.? She said, "Hi Sharon, I'm Monica."After church, she was talking to my husband and told him that I was the only person who had taken a moment to chat like that and she was very happy.Small thing but that Sunday was for me a spiritual success.

If we decide that the success we want is as a spiritual being, we have the rest of our lives to figure out how and to work it.I propose that this success is the one that provides the glow.That promotion you got, that raise, that lottery win, the home run that won the game.How long does that rush last?

Lately, I've been thinking that spiritual success might involve doing a chore around the house that I don't want to do at that very moment or that belongs to someone else.To live this fruitful life requires focus and so I am back to Lent and the focus I hope to have on spiritual matters.

What do you think of his question?What would your life look like if spiritual success was your only goal?What would the world look like?

Now, I am going to have a successful few minutes because I am going to leave you with my favorite quote by the artist Gwen John:

,"Do not have many little aims but the one great :to be a child of prayer and God's artist".