Journal of Sacred Work

4 responses to “Days 39-41- Open Forum”

1. 

   Catherine Self

   February 8, 2008

   Thoughts on care, from Henri Nouwen who suggests care is the source of all cure!
   According to Nouwen, care is something other than cure. “Cure means ‘change.’ A doctor, a lawyer, a minister, a social worker-they all want to use their professional skills to bring about changes in people’s lives. They get paid for whatever kind of cure they can bring about. But cure, desirable as it may be, can easily become violent, manipulative, and even destructive if it does not grow out of care.
   Care is being with, crying out with, suffering with, feeling with. Care is compassion. It is claiming the truth that the other person is my brother or sister, human, mortal, vulnerable, like I am.
   When care is our first concern, cure can be received as a gift. Often we are not able to cure, but we are always able to care. To care is to be human.”
   May today bring the blessing of caring and being cared for to your life.
   Cathy

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2. 

   Karen York

   February 8, 2008

   This week we’ve been talking about letting go and falling. There is an astounding picture on msnbc.com of a family dropping their 9 month old baby from a burning building to save his life. Rescuers (not photographed) were below to catch him. Only love would force me to drop my child out of a window. Only love demands that I let go of my own insecurities and embrace my fears.
   If you have a moment, go to their website today and click on “The week in pictures”. It is picture #1
   Happy weekend.

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3. 

   liz Wessel

   February 8, 2008

   What a remarkable reflection, Catherine. Thanks for your blessing of caring!
   I did go to the website Karen,what a powerful image. As a mother I understand fully that kind of courageous Love.
   In Margaret Wheatley’s book, “Turning to One Another” she encourages readers to find out what he/she really cares about by noticing behavior. We each have certain beliefs about what makes life meaningful, yet, are we living in ways that are congruent with our professed beliefs? As we notice our behaviors, our responses to people, situations, what draws us near, what we avoid; we can begin to answer the question, “What do I really care about?” Awareness increases as we begin to ask the question. Community builds as we begin to have the conversation with one another. Perhaps too, it can help us let go of old comfortable habits that may not be helpful for others or ourselves as we embrace Loving action to live Love.

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4. 

   liz Wessel

   February 8, 2008

   I received this by e-mail tonight and I thought to myself, this makes sense. How about you? I would be interested to know your thoughts.
   Many of us believe that we need to keep a tight lid on our emotions. We fear that if we ever allow these emotions to be expressed, they will do serious damage.
   But if we summon up the courage to truly feel our emotions, we discover that they don’t last. The monster in the closet turns out to be a pussycat. In fact, if we are willing to experience our emotions completely, without resistance of any kind, they burn themselves out in only a few minutes.
   The only thing that keeps emotions alive within you over long periods is your unwillingness to acknowledge them.
   “By starving emotions we become humorless, rigid and stereotyped; by repressing them we become literal, reformatory and holier-than-thou; encouraged, they perfume life; discouraged, they poison it.”
   — Joseph Collins

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