Don’t you just love going to the mailbox to get mail?  But how do you feel when you reach in the mailbox and pull out an official letter from the Court summonsing you to jury duty?  When you read between the lines, it says “It’s your turn to do your duty and serve your country by participating in our justice system as a juror.”  In California, the jury pool is picked from registered voters and the DMV so if you vote or drive a car, you are in the computer database. You will get a letter. For five days you must be available to serve as a juror when summonsed. Sometimes, you can be on call for five days and not be asked to serve. I have had that happen. But usually, you have to donate at least one day to serving your country.

I have been called every 24 months consistently since the law was changed to “everyone has to serve”. They used to excuse you if you were the sole provider of yourself or family. Since I was the owner of my own business and the sole “employee”, I qualified. But after the law changed, my jury adventures began. I have evolved from “fear of the unknown” to “looking forward” to jury duty and each year I have a different experience. I have only been selected to be on a jury one time. That year, I arrived at the courthouse the day after I was picked, sat waiting outside the judge’s courtroom with all the other jurors for about two hours and then was told, “We will not be needing you. The case has been settled.” We were done! Another time I was released because a lawyer did not want me on his jury. But the experience I had this week tops them all.  I sat in the jury room reading my book from 8am to 11:50am with all the other potential jurors. Just before lunch, our names were called one by one.  We were thanked for showing up and dismissed.

I am no longer afraid of jury duty and I have let go of all my expectations. This year, I felt nothing. I was totally okay with whatever presented itself. I just sat back and watched the whole scene unfold. That is a reflection of how much my state of consciousness has changed over the last ten years – from fear and anxiety to peace and calm. How I “serve jury” is a good measurement of my spiritual growth.

Until you return, fill your days with GIGGLES, JOY, and APPRECIATION!

Sylvia Silk, D.D. Director of the Institute For Balanced Living, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Doctor of Divinity, Spiritual Coach, Reconnective Healing Practitioner, Writer