GREENSBORO – There are several things living in a monastery and being a U.S. Navy Seal have in common. One of those things is the simple task of making your bed.
In the Christian monastic tradition of which I am a part, we follow Integral Life Practices, which are the directives for how we practically live our lives at Green Mountain Monastery. In accordance with these practices, we counsel all the nuns and guests to make their beds every day with awareness and attention.
Making our beds does not mean throwing the covers over the bed to hide the twisted sheets underneath, but taking the time to properly smooth out blankets and sheets to create a sense of order and harmony in the space.
This is not as easy as it appears. Whether living in a monastery, in navy barracks or in your own apartment or home, the tendency is to want to rush past this mundane task to get on with the more important jobs of the day.
During our early training in the monastery, we were taught to put the best of ourselves in all our actions, even the most uninteresting. In fact, my novice directress at the time would say, “Make your bed and change the world!”
In 2014 US Navy Admiral William McRaven gave the commencement address at the University of Texas which went viral. In less than two minutes this former Navy Seal made a compelling case for the simple practice of making our beds.
As a Navy Seal, he and his fellow Seals were required to make their beds to perfection every morning as a discipline designed to build on the harder tasks they would face as the day unfolded.
Each morning their beds were inspected. If the bed was done properly, the covers would be square, the corners pulled tight, the pillow centered under the head board and the extra blanket folded neatly at the foot of the bed.
Admiral McRaven tells us that this mundane task seemed ridiculous to the men at the time, as they were aspiring to be real warriors, tough battle-hardened Navy Seals.
But the wisdom of this simple discipline has been proven to be beneficial many times over, both in the monastery and in the navy.
If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and encourage you to do another task with awareness, and then another. By the end of the day, that one task will have laid the foundation for finishing many tasks well.
Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter. If you cannot do the little things right, the bigger things can be wanting. For example, we all know what it means to cut corners or do something quick and dirty, sayings that reflect work that is hasty, sloppy, lax and careless.
This is what my novice directress was referring to those many years ago when she said, “Make your bed and change the world!” She was teaching us to establish practices and a discipline that would translate out to the world in the work we do, with the people we interact with and in the services we offer.
This simple discipline, beginning each morning, can lay the foundation for jobs well done with integrity and care. It can also work on character by building up consistency, reliability and self discipline.
In the days ahead, try making your bed if you tend to leave it undone. If you already make your bed, then give some extra time to making it with attention.
Notice how it feels to step back and feel a small sense of pride in accomplishing something at the beginning of the day that can encourage you for larger tasks ahead.
Also, pay attention to how the room changes when the bed is made, and what it feels like to arrive home after a day of work to a well-made bed. You may be surprised. Remember . . . making your bed can change the world!
If you would like to listen to the 2014 commencement address of Admiral McRaven online, search You Tube for “Navy Seal Commander explains why you should make your bed everyday.” https://youtu.be/m_3sd_KxSMg?si=HoShdLQMolX_F4u1
Sr. Gail Worcelo is a co-founder of Sisters of the Earth Community, a community of Catholic sisters whose mission is Earth Healing and Protection. She leads retreats and programs worldwide on topics related to establishing mutually enhancing human-earth relationships. The sisters offer retreats, programs and spiritual accompaniment at Green Mountain Monastery, Greensboro.
