Hózhó
It’s a Navajo word that encapsulates a way of life. I first heard the word in an assembly at the school where I work when a young Navajo Forest Service ranger gave a special talk to our students. He explained that hózhó literally means ‘walking in beauty,’ but it encapsulates so much more than just the words in English.
It’s a way of life that takes in the wonder of the world around us, the sacredness of creation, and the desire to maintain harmony and balance in not only our personal lives but in the world around us.
His explanation made me stop and think about my beliefs as a Christian. Christians should strive for balance. We should live with eyes wide open to the beauty around us and seek to maintain a relationship with our Creator so that we can walk where he wants us to walk and do what he wants us to do.
Hózhó, or walking in beauty, doesn’t come easily. With so many competing messages, trinkets and tempests in a teapot to distract us, we have to consciously seek beauty. I’d like to think that Jesus spoke of hózhó in Matthew 11:28-30 when he said;
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
This is my journey to hózhó. Join me for the next 31 days.
Day 1: The Number One Pitfall of Suffering From Stuffism
Day 2: Do You Expect God to Fulfill Your Heart’s Desires?
Day 3: The Importance of the Master Switch
Day 4: Don’t Miss Out on the Rewards of Hospitality
Day 5: Off-Kilter Perceptions Make ME Unbalanced!
Day 6: How to do Life with Confidence
Day 7: Why It’s Better to Have a Learner’s Attitude for Life’s Tests
Day 8: Running in Calgary, Running to Calvary
Day 9: The Importance of Shedding the Unnecessary
Day 10:The Walmart Parking Lot is NOT the Destination
Day 11: Don’t Stress the Small Stuff on the Long Road of Life
Day 12: Don’t Leave Home Without the Milepost and Proper Calibration
Day 13: The Surprising Lesson I Learned Along the Alaska Highway
Day 14: Finding the Red Eagle Lodge Should Have Been Easy
Day 15: How a Homophone Can Change Your Life
Day 16: How a Life Plan Helped Me Prepare for Vacation
Day 17: Adventures in Expectations Along the Nebesna Road
Day 18: Learn About Transformation From a Tunnel
Day 19: The Differences Between Cruises Might Make You Uncomfortable
Day 20: What’s YOUR Reaction to Disaster?
Day 21: Six Unforgettable Lessons I Learned from Sea Otters
Day 22: What Mayme Taught Me About Beauty
Day 23: What Happens When You DON’T Buy the Lens
Day 24: The Second Visit to Alaska Opens My Eyes for the First Time
Day 25: Is Having Tea a Lost Art in the US?
Day 26: The Treats of Traveling the Denali Highway
Day 27: The Surprising Beauty Tip I Learned from Sled Dogs
Day 28: To Eat Near the Foot of Denali
Day 29: Your Point of Focus Determines the Quality of Your Experience
Day 30: What Happens to the Cygnets of an Injured Swan?
Day 31: How Does True Love Wait? Let Me Count the Ways!
