I f e o m a   I k e n z e , M D
Reflection On Grace...

As I stopped to soak in the morning sun during one of my usual morning walks, I noticed a bird perched on a tiny twig at the very top of a tree. I was astonished at the very small and narrow twig in comparison to the size of the bird. I was more so, at the perfect poise with which it seemed to be balanced on the tree. For some reason, I felt the bird was aware of my interest but seemed not to be at all concerned at my proximity. He remained perched on the twig and motionless in spite of a rather strong autumn breeze.

As I watched him and marveled at how effortlessly he seemed to maintain his balance, the thought came into my mind that this bird embodied what for us humans is the ultimate aspiration, metaphorically: to be able to attain to the highest heights in every way. All human beings wish to attain to success, or to put it mundanely, to be able to climb the ladder of success to the top rung. The desire to be at the top of our form, whether at work, play or socially is something we all seem to have innately programmed in us. This desire is the basis of competition, which in most situations is healthy. As I watched the bird sitting at the top of that tree alone, the question came up: "Would we strive to get to the top if there was no one to compete against? If there was no one to be bested, no one to admire or applaud the accomplishment, would it still mean the same to us to reach the top?"

I thought of the knights of old who went in search of the Holy Grail. For what were they really searching? Then the song came into my head form the musical, Man of La Mancha: "To dream the impossible dream. To reach the unreachable height…." These individuals were driven to find and express the highest, the purest and the noblest that a human could possibly attain, in their lives, their thoughts, their words and their deeds. This for them embodied the search for the Holy Grail, or one could say that the Holy Grail represented the highest, purest and noblest that a human being can aspire to in all existence. The stories of the knights of the Holy Grail have continued to inspire us through the ages and I believe the search for the Holy Grail is no less pressing today than it was centuries ago - that deep inner drive to attain to the highest, noblest, purest and the most goodness in every aspect of one's life and person and in every undertaking, for no other reason than the goal itself. The bird at the top of the tree seemed to be doing just that and saying to me: "You too can do it."

Before I could fully grapple with those thoughts, another observation came tumbling into my mind. The bird appeared to be motionless, although it was windy and I could see the leaves rustling in the wind. How did he do it? What kind of effort did it take to maintain its balance on that twig in the wind? My rational mind knew that he would have to move his body ever so subtly to keep in harmony with the sway of the twig in the wind if he was to maintain his balance. As a doctor I know that it is much harder to maintain a constant motion of small muscles than of large muscles. For example, try spreading you toes rhythmically for five minutes while keeping your foot absolutely still, and see how much harder it is than moving your entire foot from side to side. To be able to maintain a certain position requires a constant subtle movement. But the movement by virtue of its subtlety requires much greater effort, control and stamina. One could also say that in the small and subtle lies much greater strength and power. For the bird, the higher up he was, the greater the effect of the wind and so the more effort it would require for him to maintain his balance and position on the tree top. As we well know in the business and sports world, it takes effort to get to the top and it takes continual effort to stay at the top. In fact this principle applies to every aspect of life. I had studied its effects in my college physics class as the Law of Motion. Here, by this tree, I was able to observe that this law or principle applied not only in the physics lab, but everywhere in Nature, for all creatures including humans, and in all aspects of life.

As I admired the gracefulness with which the bird was poised on the twig, the idea of grace came to mind. Gracefulness, grace, these words began to tumble around in my mind like clothes in a dryer, as I watched, wondering where they would lead. As humans we speak of grace and gracefulness in a variety of contexts. What did it mean to me to be graceful like the bird? It is to strive for perfection in every movement, to be and to do the very best one can in one's personal and professional life, in one's relationships as well as when one is entirely alone. Being able to infuse one's thoughts, words and deeds with the highest nobility and goodness even when and where no one can see or admire is the closest one can come to being as this graceful bird. Attaining to the highest in goodness, truth, beauty and nobility in all things for no other reason than for its own sake, and to be totally unconcerned about who is watching or not watching.

We often speak of gracefulness as a physical quality often attributed to women, But, it is also attributable wherever a person's movements are in complete harmony. In harmony with an inner rhythm, and that inner rhythm is a movement in harmony with the eternal rhythm of Life, of Creation. Gracefulness also suggests a harmony within the being and a quiet "going with the flow". To be able to maintain one's inner and outer balance in the midst of the windy vicissitudes of life and interactions with one's fellow men would be like the bird, maintaining his perch so gracefully in the wind. As impossible as it was for me to see the fine muscle contractions necessary for the bird to maintain its balance so is it impossible for others to know what effort is expended by each person to attain to that height. And as silently as he maintained his position, so is it possible for each one to reach and maintain that height of goodness and nobility in ones person and life, quietly and without fanfare.

Then, we speak of God and the Grace of God, something that many invoke in their prayers. It appears that Grace is inseparably connected to God, which is why millions turn to God for Grace - to experience a deep connection with God. But how can one connect with God other than through His Creation, through adjusting every aspect of one's being, thinking and movements to the eternal Law, the eternal rhythm of God's Creation? This brought me back to thinking of gracefulness, that, indeed, gracefulness demands a constant movement, a constant adjusting to the rhythm of the Laws of Nature. And this constant movement actually brings us to that stillness that speaks of God in our lives.

Like clothes in a dryer, my thoughts had gone round in a big circle only to return to the starting point. Grace - Movement - Nature - the Law - God - Grace. So simple!

And as quickly as I first noticed it, now the bird suddenly flew away and I was left with a lifetime of aspiration!