Sharing Space, Place, Grace
I paused to connect with this rabbit as I ran past on an early morning run recently. It was already paused, chewing on some grass. Both of us enjoying some of our daily sustenance. We watched each other, attentive and curious. Doing our own thing, but acknowledging the other. We were sharing that place and space, just for a moment. The rabbit bounded off into the grass, and I picked up my pace again.
A glimpse of simple grace.
Recent “Word for the Day” offerings have included:
Finding out what connects us, reveling in our differences; this is the process that brings us closer, that gives us a world of shared values, of meaningful community.
-Bell Hooks-
We need movements rooted in love right now, movements powered not by difference and exclusion and punishment, but by common ground, compassion, humility, healthy boundaries, patience and healing.
-Adrienne Maree Brown-
No one who has ever touched liberation could possibly want anything other than liberation for everyone.
-Rev. Angel Kyodo Williams-
The human soul doesn’t want to be advised or fixed or saved. It simply wants to be witnessed — to be seen, heard and companioned exactly as it is.
-Parker Palmer-
That rabbit and I were bearing witness to each other. Shared existence and a briefly paired experience. In that space, a bit of grass and trail became a connecting place. I can’t speak for the rabbit, but I know I felt a moment of true grace. To be alive. To see. To move. To BE.
I had a situation a couple of days ago where I verbalized: “I count. I am a person too.” It wasn’t in anger or frustration, but a reminder to those I was walking with on a labyrinth. It was a powerful statement and I am still feeling it reverberating around in my heart and soul. It was meant as much for me as for the others, but it was meant to be heard by us all. Heard. Do we hear each other? Do we pause and listen?
Read the quotes above a second time. “Reveling in our differences.” “Common ground.” “Liberation for everyone.” “Companioned exactly as it is.”
I wrote about Daily Liberation in another recent post here. Liberation from alcoholism. Today, I write about a different kind of liberation. From inattention, judgment, fear. Liberation from loneliness and division, greed and materialism, from shallow existence.
We can help liberate ourselves, each other, and a struggling planet by sharing space, bearing witness, being open to a greater grace. Start with a deep breath and open eyes. Take another breath. Tap into heart and soul. Build from here. Onward!
