do nothing like a master

In my daily worship last week, I saw a large sign in my mind’s eye:

QUAKERS:
We do nothing
well

What a wonderful reminder of the power of wu-wei, or masterful inactivity!

A few days later, I got a chance to practice.

I was awakened by my husband and my son in the midst of a heated argument. They came to no conclusion, and each stormed off in a huff on their separate days.

I was still in bed.

I kept my eyes closed for a while, thinking.

I got up and went about my morning chores, a bit anxious.

What should I say or do to help smooth things over?

A couple hours later, I realized that my husband and son were grown men. They could work this out. There was no need for me to stick my oar in.

I forgot all about it.

The madrones along the fence line were covered with frilly urn-shaped blooms. The wood roses were opening their delicate pink flowers. The neighborhood birds had seriously embarked on the business of raising the next generation, with all the energy that entails.

Human friends and neighbors checked in with news of their lives, and I had my own accomplishments.

When my husband came home, I shared all the news. He talked about his day, and then said, ”I feel bad about this morning.”

”Oh yeah!” I replied, ”I’d forgotten all about it. How are you feeling now?”

He talked a bit about what was going on with him. I listened, and didn’t say much.

I suggested he might want to pick our son up from the bus stop.

During the 5-minute drive from town, the two of them worked out their disagreement.

I high-fived my higher self.

”Way to do nothing!”

The next morning, my son said, ”Hey thanks for helping out with Dad yesterday.”

I protested that I didn’t do anything.

”You did a great job of it.”

So much of Quakerism (and spiritual wisdom) is holding ourselves back.

”Don’t just do something. Sit there.”

We wait, in silence, doing nothing unless prompted by the Spirit.

We leave spaces between messages, so that we can better absorb them.

We create openings in our business meeting and committee meetings, so the Spirit can get in a word edgewise.

Let’s do nothing better.

Let’s do nothing deliberately.

Let’s do nothing diligently.

Let’s remember that not all jobs are ours to do, and that we need to leave a big space for the Spirit to work its magic.