In the town of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, there is a church named Lagniappe. It is an old Creole word that means “something extra.”
Pastor Jean Larroux explains, “Down here if you go into a seafood shop and order a pound of shrimp and they put in an extra handful, [...]
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Followers
Swords
Mr. Rogers stepped out of a Manhattan subway train onto the platform. A group of people recognized him, including a young mother with her 6-year-old son. The boy brandished a Star Wars light saber, and was intent on whacking everything–and everyone–in his path. This included Mr. Rogers.
One hour later, the people traveling with Mr. Rogers had enough suspense. “You have got to tell us what you said to the boy!”
Mr. Rogers smiled, “I told him, we are a lot alike. I have a sword too. Not as nice as yours. Mine is wood. I keep it inside me, for all the times I don’t feel strong. When I think I need to impress people, I take my sword out, and I believe that when people see the sword they will think I’m strong. But when I feel strong inside, I know I don’t need my sword, and I put it away. Looking in your eyes right now, I know you are a loved little boy, and I see you are very strong on the inside.”
The little boy said, “I guess I don’t need my sword today.”
I can relate.
We assume our identity is predicated on the sum of consumption (more) plus velocity (hurry). And our mantra becomes, “This is not enough.” (Meaning this relationship or job or circumstance or new toy or prayer or faith or conversation or moment, or whatever.) As a result, I am not present. Given my need to impress–or consume or use or add or rush–I end up whacking everything around me. This is when my life becomes “garbled.”
I need Mr. Roger’s reminder: There is a word spoken about me. It tells me that I am strong on the inside. And not because of anything I have done or failed to do.
Here’s the deal: This is not just about self-esteem, as if there’s some club to join with a secret instruction manual. As if there is something else we need to add to our life to make it successful, or meaningful, or palatable. It’s much more fundamental: Am I willing to be loved for being this me?
“They will say to me, ‘Zusia, there was only one thing that no power of heaven or earth could have prevented you from becoming.’ They will say, ‘Zusia, Zusia, why were you not Zusia?’”
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