The other day someone asked me how I was.
And I lied.
I said, “I’m fine, thanks.”
No cause for alarm bells. The exchange of perfunctory niceties is woven into the fabric of our days. And we pay it no nevermind.
But this time, the internal recoil stopped me. It felt visceral.
And I wondered. . .at what point do you say, “No. I’m not fine. But thank you for asking.”
I can think of many reasons why I don’t, not the least of which is the compulsion some people will have to “fix it.”
More often than not, we don’t need advice. We just needed to know that someone listened. The act of listening is an affirmation, as if to say, “I see you. I recognize you. The fact that you are here, matters.” And that act alone can be enough.
Of course, we’re at the mercy of the cultural full-court-press about the importance of “appearance.” (“I don’t really care whether you are okay. I just need you to look okay.” Kinda like buying the latest ski fashion wear for a trip to the slopes even though you’ll spend the whole day in the lodge sipping hot chocolate.)
All of this is a stone’s throw away from the repercussion of a world lived on fast forward. And the fact that we are being squeezed by a cultural cacophony, vying for our time and dollars and attention, and the notion that we can’t afford to slow down long enough to let our souls catch up with our bodies.
The rush and pressure of modern life are a form, perhaps the most
common form, of contemporary violence. To allow oneself to be
carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to
too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want
to help everyone in everything is to succumb to violence. Thomas Merton
Merton is right. And I feel it. Sometimes “to the bone” tired.
I have been on tour for two months now. Traveling and lecturing in different cities about the light within us.
And the invitation to “let” that light shine.
But then, you can’t let it shine unless you embrace it.
And you can’t embrace it unless you sit still long enough to know that it’s there.
The Hope of Loving
What keeps us alive, what allows us to endure?
I think it is the hope of loving,
or being loved.
I heard a fable once about the sun going on a journey
to find its source, and how the moon wept
without her lover’s
warm gaze.
We weep when light does not reach our hearts. We wither
like fields if someone close
does not rain their
kindness
upon
us.
Meister Eckhart
3 Comments
Love the Meister Eckhart quote.
You have a prophetic voice. I also appreciate your candor re: real life. Refreshing and rare.
Enjoyed it and needed to hear it – thanks!