It was a beautiful morning... just cold enough to get under a blanket on the porch and early enough that the day was fresh with the sounds of birds and the fullness of the wet morning air. I am growing to crave these quiet moments to myself more and more and when I leave them I feel ready for the day... excited about what it will bring.
I recently bought a new book with short daily meditations that I am thoroughly enjoying. This morning I decided to read the one for March 16, yesterday, it was so significant to me that I am going to share it.
March 16
Become Willing to Heal your Heart
We don't open our hearts by being a tower of strength.
We don't open our hearts by glossing things over in our head.
We open our hearts by telling what we feel.
We open our hearts by being vulnerable, honest, and gentle.
We've become so strong, so self-sufficient.
I can deal with that, we say.
No big deal. I'll keep moving on.
Yet many circumstances we've been through,
and some we're still going through now,
cause break lines in our heart. Some of the fractures are small.
Some are big. They really hurt.
Maybe certain people in our lives weren't there for us,
aren't there for us now in a way we'd like them to be.
Maybe some deceived us unconsciously or betrayed us deliberately.
I can deal with that, we say. I understand.
They have their own issues. I forgive.....
Yes, people do have their own issues. And we do forgive.
But now it may be time to learn gentleness, compassion,
understanding, and forgiveness for ourselves as well.
We don't open our hearts by ignoring the break lines.
We take our hand, knowing it's held by God,
and gently run our fingers across each crack.
Yes, its' there. Yes, I feel it.
Taken from ~ Journey to the Heart by Melody Beattie
These words resonated on so many levels to me but as I sit with them what I hear most is a message of Love. A message of how hard it is to look at where we have been wounded or have wounded others. It's much easier to come up with excuses where we were right, they were wrong or even make excuses for those who have hurt us. But in truth, the really hard work and the loving work is to look at our wounds. Give them the attention they need to be fully healed. Take time to Love Ourselves. To honor those wounded places in us... to take a real look at them is Loving to Ourselves.
Doing this work is not easy and to say it's part of the journey sounds like a ridiculous understatement... but it is. This work is a journey of the heart.... it is one of choice and sometimes not a short one. I feel that taking this intentional look at ourselves we begin to know ourselves deeper. We begin an intimate journey to knowing our True Selves. I do believe so deeply that doing the work becomes as much an act of loving ourselves as it will become the love we give to others.
So how to do this.... that is the question. I have small glimpses from the Divine but definitely don't have the answers. Sitting with myself is the beginning. Sitting with the Divine is a safe place to look at myself. Feeling my body and listening to my heart and my longings. And walking with gentleness and compassion for myself and others will be important.
Much love and light to all of us on our journey....
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