There has been a chasm of silence between this moment and my last post. I have felt overwhelmed with the endless reality of gypsy meandering. The passions, commitments and structures of my former life continue to live on in my heart and soul, and though this physical reality can be dealt with and endured, there are aspects of it which, over time, diminish one’s ability to function beyond survival. This can be distressing and life threatening, as the body takes on the messages and its vitality begins to wobble. And yet, my soul knowing is that giving must be kept alive as this is what makes us human.
Being taken to one’s knees brings the conscious and subconscious together in ways that are otherwise not possible. What is it about being in dyer distress that propels clarity? When illness, pain or loss land in one’s lap, ultimate truth blinks back.
Whenever we see blurbs on tv immediately after a natural disaster, the common response to microphone in face is ‘We have each other’ or ‘The important thing is that my loved ones are safe’, and then the surge of the masses come help.
The agonies and loss of those in need touch us with life in its purest form and we see, face to face, what is real and essential, and this is true of ourselves, as well. Our yearnings, our courage, and our faith rise to the surface and we are all one. Everyone sees and feels and recognizes truth and spirit in these moments and it is here that we know what being human is all about…it is about reaching out and holding hands. It is about giving and receiving.
What if it is oneself that is in crisis? What then? The same and more so. Once one has walked these walks of fire, and embraced the lessons of patience and surrender while the pain is burning deeply, compassion is ignited in a new way. All that one sees is the plight of being human and the immediate recognition of others’ trials becomes the lens through which one filters everything.
Extending one’s heart and sharing a moment of recognition is the most beautiful gift.