A Spirituality of Stuckness

"When the tech at the computer store lost everything on my hard drive, I would have become violent with anyone who told me that I could learn something from the experience. But I did. (Besides the obvious, always back up your work). I lost pretty much everything I had — including my vast collection of e-mail contacts. In addition, I was leading a retreat the following weekend, had lost everything I'd prepared, and wouldn't have my computer back in time to recreate it. Stuck at home with no e-mail and no computer, I had to get creative. My neighbor, a management consultant, lent me both her computer and her expertise. With her help, I was able to prepare for the retreat. Without my computer, I had very little to do for two weeks. I spent more time with my family, went on walks with friends, and wandered around the house. Not having so much pressing work gave me the opportunity to narrow my focus. Suddenly I had the opportunity to pay attention to the many joys God had put within arm's reach. That small gift blessed me beyond measure.

"When a client gets stuck, I ask them to consider the spiritual lessons of being stuck. I ask them:

• "What can this particular situation teach me about the whole?
• How can I learn about my approach to problems?
• What is the life lesson in this mess?
• In what ways does being stuck offer an opportunity for growth?
• What can this experience teach me about God?
• How does 'being stuck' inform me about my own spiritual journey?”