By The Late Ron Bartlette
Susan Monk Kidd, the writer of numerous books such as The Secret Life of Bees and Mermaid’s Chair, illustrates with the following excerpt from her amazing book, God’s Joyful Surprise, how many of us live life;
“Have you ever seen a centrifuge at work? Inside the drum of the centrifuge, a liquid is spun with such rapid force it impels everything away from the centre out to the periphery, and separates the liquid into different substances and densities, breaking it down into serum, cells, and other parts. The greater the centrifugal force or pull outward, the more hollow the center becomes and the greater the separation or divisions into different components. I saw the chaos in my life as a centrifugal force, pulling me from the centre and dividing my life. The more it whirled, the sharper the need.”
All the things/activities pulling Susan Monk Kidd in many different life directions were all good in and of themselves. She is not alone in this daily living struggle. Susan says that it leads to a “hollow centre”. If you’re feeling or encountering this spin cycle living / centrifugal cycle, I believe it does lead to a hollow centre in your heart and spirit. What’s the remedy for this spin cycle living problem? Do we just press the stop button? What activities do we drop out of our lives to slow down spin cycle living?
All good questions, but no matter what we think or believe, self-help books and their techniques have not proven to reduce or eliminate the spin cycle. As a matter of fact, they are part of the problem! But that is a topic for another blog and time.
Getting out of a spin cycle and a hollow centre can ONLY be possible with heart and spirit surgery. One individual stated the answer to the dilemma in 7 words followed by society’s usual response; “In quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it!” Trust requires quietness of heart and spirit. Trust in what though? Great question. Through my own trials and tribulations, I`ve discovered that I can fill any hollow centre completely with love, power, and self-control. What can you do to discover how to fill your hollow centre?
The Late Ron Barlette
Founder
This year marks the third anniversary of the passing of Ron Bartlette, Executive Director and Founder of the Winnipeg Transition Centre.
Ron was humbled by the opportunities he was given to lead the organization, working with so many passionate, gifted staff and touching the lives of numerous participants.
His legacy and vision continues on through the various programs and services of the Winnipeg Transition Centre, where thousands in Manitoba and across Canada have received support and training and who in turn, will provide inspiration in their communities.
