Late last week I listened to a radio show on Public Radio Remix, a station dedicated to telling the stories of ordinary people. I love this station for the ways in which it continues to lift up the very extraordinary ways in which seemingly ‘ordinary’ people move in the world. The colorful stories sometimes make me laugh, other times they can make me cry. They never fail to inspire me.

The story that grabbed my attention this past week was called, I believe, ‘Mantra Wagon’. It was a story of a woman who had been traveling across the country in an RV- kind-of vehicle. She would pull up in public spaces and attracts people’s attention by asking them what their ‘mantra’ is. For the people who don’t just turn and run, considering her a little ‘goofy’, she explains that we all have mantras we repeat to ourselves all the time. Sometimes we are aware of them and sometimes we are not. She then re-asks the question and commits their responses to an audio file that she has edited into some very interesting listening.

“There’s no such thing as vacation.”, one man repeated over and over. ” I can do anything for 10 weeks.” said another with more and more emphasis the longer he recited this sentence. ” I think I can, I think I can.”, yet another person replied echoing the message of the Little Engine that could. All these mantras carried around by people walking the streets along side of us. Who would have guessed?

Of course, it caused me to consider the mantras I have allowed to become a part of the rhythm of my daily walk. Certainly, ” breathe, breathe, breathe” is the top runner. I have found it so helpful in so many situations. When I want to say the right thing. When I am sure I will say the absolute wrong thing. When I want to make sure I don’t say anything at all. “Breathe” is one of the best mantras I know to connect a person with their essential self, their sense of spirit, the Presence of the Holy.

“There is enough time.” is another mantra I have allowed to roll under my breath. This was particularly handy when I was the parent of young children or even teenagers. While holding a full time job, making a home, and finding my way through the maze of parenting, to have the message of ‘enough time’ flowing through the veins of my day, was a very good thing. What I learned from that mantra is that, if repeated well, there is enough time for what is really important. And who doesn’t want more of that?

I am sure there have been other mantras that have inched in and out of my life from time to time. Phrases like “I can’t, I can’t” or “Not me, not me.” Sometimes the mantras we practice choose us and sometimes we choose them. Some of them serve us well and others have the potential to do immense harm. Messages of “I’m not good enough.” or ” I’m not worthy.” come to mind. I think of the number of children who walk around with these mantras so engrained in their psyche they carry them well into their adult lives.

What mantras do you repeat to yourself? Are there mantras you allow to guide your days without even recognizing them? Are they helpful to your life? Or are they hurtful?

Whatever the mantra is that is leading you through your days, I pray it is one that reminds you that you are a beloved child of God. May the words that become the personal mantra we all speak to ourselves be ones that bring us hope and fill us with gratitude.

I can’t help but believe such a mantra would be pleasing to the Holy and certainly healing for us.