If we were having coffee today I’d tell you how tender my heart is. There are times when I seriously wonder if there is any hope for our world. Times when I want to say I give up. I simply don’t know how any of us can be in this place anymore. I feel deep despair and anger and shame that there is such depth of suffering in our world; such hatred; such divisiveness; such institutionalized racism; such willingness to embrace us/them blinders; such willingness to arm ourselves and take positions of power over; such fear and frustration that has escalated into explosiveness that is so corrosive and so damaging I think none of us are unscarred.
If we were having coffee today I’d tell you how deeply I struggle with this. Because in truth I believe it is my mission – through the work that I do, through my service to others, through the living of my life as an expression of what is important to me – to increase the vibration of Love and Joy on this planet, and help those on their spiritual path move into ever-increasing awareness, wholeness, and joy, and most importantly anchor the vibration of Unity Consciousness.
For so many of us, when we’re feeling this overwhelming helplessness and hopelessness there’s nothing to do but sit with our tender hearts for a while. Live with the grief. Reach for the things that bring us small measures of comfort. Slow deep breaths. Salt water baths. Being in nature. Flower essences. I find myself turning to certain books and poems, and right now I’m reading Anne Lamott’s Stitches: A Handbook on Meaning, Hope and Repair.
Sometimes it’s all I can do to hold on to a simple quote and let that be a mantra. Right now I’m letting Barbara Kingsolver’s admonishment be a guiding star:
“The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.”
And then when I feel a little less wobbly, a little less defeated, a little less heart-broken, I’m going to let something Henry Ward Beecher said be what I aspire to:
“A man ought to carry himself in the world as an orange tree would if it could walk up and down in the garden, swinging perfume from every little censer it holds up to the air.”
Thank you for stopping by and sitting with me and listening. Don’t underestimate how helpful that is – listening to someone, and perhaps reaching over and holding their hand, but mostly just listening and really hearing, makes a world of difference.
If you want to join #Weekend Coffee Share here’s the link. But in any case, do let me know what you’re thinking. What’s in your heart? What kindnesses are you offering yourself? How do you want to carry yourself in this one world we have? How can you be a blessing? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
I’m sorry you’re feeling tender right now Deborah in amidst all the awfulness of the world. Always remember there are more good people who are willing to lend a helping hand to those who suffer. Those of us who work to raise the vibrations of the world in any way we can …
Yes, you’re right Susan – and it’s a very good thing to remember indeed.
Well dear heart, Let’s sit at the edges of things, hold hands, connect our hearts and call forth the light that is in the center of all things to sing us all back to wholeness.
Oh what a beautiful image Corky. Yes, let’s indeed do that!
I think, in the U.S., may of our hearts are tender and our fingers on the keys have almost stopped.
Yes, I believe that’s true Rosemary. May we all find our way through this in ways that bring genuine reform and deep healing.
I love every word of this, Deborah, and feel so much the same. I aspire to a very similar mission, and feel very defeated and hopeless at times. Times are weird. On the other hand, there is a lot of beauty, joy and Love. It all just seems so overwhelming a lot of the time. Yes, there are go to comforts and self soothing exercises, but well…I heard a reading once and someone from the other side said, “We all think you are rock stars for taking bodies at this time.” Haha. It was kind of validating in a way to hear that, like yeah!
Anyway, I am sitting with you in this tender heartedness over this cup of coffee, holding your hand.
With love,
Mary
Thank you for the kind words and hand holding Mary. And the message from the other side really makes me smile – it does help put things in a different perspective. I’m reaffirming my commitment to see the beauty all around us, and as my friends say “be in the magic and know it.”
I agree with all you said and feel the same. It’s beyond discouraging. Sorry, I have no helpful words or ideas.
Sometimes we simply have to sit with our feelings. But it does help to know we’re not alone doesn’t it?
Do not feel despair. Remember there is a time for everything under the sun and goodness will reveal itself in its own time.
Thanks for your kind words and wisdom Bernadette.
Thank you for this post and for sharing your vulnerable heart with us all…it has been hard for me, as a Woman of Color, to keep listening to these awful stories of violence and to hear so much open racism happening in the world today and yet I am glad that there is open racism because I have known all along that it never went away as many white people seem to think it had. Now that is it being shown so openly we can now address it and work toward eradicating it, and I do hope that we will be able to come to place of more understanding in this lifetime…I anot sure ho wi feel about the word “tolerance” as I once read a definition of the word as ‘half loving and half hating something’ and I sometimes think that this is an apt description of tolerance due to the behavior I see in the world today, so I think if we can come to an UNDERSTANDING of the human condition and maybe even an ACCEPTANCE that www are more connected than we realize, this could do so much more for peace in the world.
A girl can hope, can’t she?? Sending you much light and love and gratitude for sharing your heart <3
Oh Monica – you have my heart as well. I think you’re right in that it’s important this issue comes to light fully in the collective consciousness – so there’s no more ostrishing-with-our-heads-in-the-sand. You make a good point about tolerance. Acceptance and celebration, unity and wholeness are what I hope to see.
THANK YOU for peaceful message for us. In times of trouble we need that.
Thank you for your kind words Betty Louise, and for stopping by.
Dear Deborah – I feel so awful for you all enduring this naked hatred at the moment. Over on the other side of the pond the racism and sectarianism that was barely concealed beneath the surface has also been allowed to raise its ugly head. I’m getting to a point where I need to stop listening to and watching the news – something in me is saying that we are feeding it by paying any attention to it. If we give in to despair at this time we’re allowing them to win. Sending you love and light and much gratitude for all the lovely words you share with us all encouraging us when times are tough.
Fil x
Thank you for the kind words Fil. I think you’re right in that we can’t remain in a state of despair – we have to be part of the pool of beings creating the change we wish to see.
I am happy to lend you a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on. Sending you much love, dear one.
Thank you Elda.
From one tender heart to another, I hear you. I like that Lamott quote about living inside the hope.
That really is a helpful reminder isn’t it? But just to be clear the quote is by Barbara Kingsolver. Wishing you a good week Naomi and ease for your tender heart.
I’m dropping by on the A-Z Roadtrip. Interesting thread for your posts and I like how you included them in your reflections post.
Hi Wendy – thanks for stopping by! I’m doing a leisurely summer road trip, making entirely random stops on the A-to-Z list, just like closing one’s eyes and sticking a pin in the map. With stops for lemonade and ice cream as befits the best of summer road trips. Wishing you a wonderful rest of the summer.
If I could share coffee with you today, I’d tell you that peace must come in your own mind, in your own time. It will include not only a recognition of despair, but of kindness despite it. That the very people we struggle to understand struggle too, and share more in common with us than we could ever imagine.
That means black, white. Cop, citizen. Republican and Democrat. The longer we speak of division and derision, the longer it lingers. Common ground is the only place the divide will stop gaping open.
Wise words Eli, and I agree with you whole-heartedly.
I am somewhat stressed as I am coming up to contract renewal time on the job, where I have been struggling with the numbers.
I’m sorry to hear that Scott – I hope everything works out perfectly for you!