We Have to Continually Remind Ourselves

I went in search of corroboration of the above C. S. Lewis quote, and found the entire passage from his book Mere Christianity. I copy it below, at the stretch of copyright.

The first step is to recognise the fact that your moods change. The next is to make sure that, if you have once accepted Christianity, then some of its main doctrines shall be deliberately held before your mind for some time every day. That is why daily prayers and religious readings and churchgoing are necessary parts of the Christian life. We have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be fed. And as a matter of fact, if you examined a hundred people who had lost their faith in Christianity, I wonder how many of them would turn out to have been reasoned out of it by honest argument? Do not most people simply drift away? ~ C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

“We have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind.”

What do I believe about how I want to live my life? What do I believe about my potential and my abilities? What do I believe about myself as a writer? As a woman? What are my commitments, and do they reflect what I truly believe? Why do I believe in the new story I am writing (or in the case of the past week, not writing)? Truly, what are my beliefs about writing, and am I living those beliefs?

I don’t tend to spend much time thinking on these particulars. I doubt that I am alone in tending to have vibrant ideas and start on them, only the find I get bogged down–bathe the dog, do the laundry, get groceries, physical therapy sessions for my shoulder, pay bills, manage accounting, etc., etc. I can start a day with certainty of spirit and direction and thirty minutes later be asking myself where I was going and why did I ever in the world want to bother with it anyway. As Lewis points out–human moods change. One of my friends tells me this is indicative of creative spirits. Lewis’s wisdom is helpful to work with my sort of nature. Simply remind myself what I believe.

Just as I read over what I wrote, my mind filled with the image of an electric train set I used to have–a Thomas the Train Lionel edition. I would have to repeatedly align the wheels of the engine and the cars on the track for the train to run. Not unlike my mind and spirit.

Since it is only the end of January, I have had floating around in my mind my guiding word for 2024: Choose Life. I went back to my own post and was reminded–

“I’ve decided my guiding ‘word’ of the 2024 is ‘Choose Life’. I’ll think those words when I have decisions to make, when I’m disappointed, or confused, when I can’t figure out the next step. Those words will keep me living fully.”

Remind yourself that you have purpose, and remind others, too.

Blessings,

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