Imago Voices Q and A

Hi Friends! I’m Emily. I’ve been attending Imago for about 4 years now. Currently, I am a part of the Ministry and Teaching Teams. I also hang out with the Hot Mess Sisters and try to help with LULA meal prep.

When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?

I rarely sing to other people. The exceptions are yell-singing ridiculous songs with kids at camp, and belting out Disney duets with my sister in order to see our parents in a state of pure exasperation. Neither of these have happened in quite some time.

I sing to myself more often, like when I’m really excited for my next activity or have “Never Gonna Give You Up” stuck in my head for two weeks straight. Dancing, on the other hand, I do all the time! I have solo dance parties in my kitchen at least twice a week. And I often release frustration during the work day by pulling up a song, jumping around for a few minutes, then getting back to my email. 

Is there something that you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it?

I’ve dreamt of becoming a yoga instructor for almost as long as I’ve been practicing - so, like, 20 years. For a while, I didn’t do it because I never seemed to have the extra time and the extra money at the same time. More recently, I’ve looked into online certification courses. I tell myself that I haven’t started one of these because the in-person and community aspects are important to the experience. And I’m sure they are. But I imagine that the real reason I haven’t done it is because I’m afraid I lack the discipline to finish - I’ll get bored or busy halfway through, and then have to deal with the fact that I simply didn’t do something I really wanted to and there was no good reason why. (Although, I guess I’m dealing with that fact now, so…?)

What is something that you find to be spiritual that others might not expect?

Maybe folding laundry? I’m pretty sure Brother Lawrence wrote about the spirituality of doing dishes in  the 17th century, so I know I’m not the only person to consider chores to be a holy act. Personally, I don’t like doing dishes. However, folding clean clothes is the perfect mix of routine motion and a vague sense of purpose that seems to draw my mind toward God. I often find myself internally debating points of theology or thinking of a poignant message that I recently heard or read. When I’m really lucky, folding clothes allows my mind to still just long enough to find God.