Journal of Sacred Work

Caregivers have superpowers! Radical Loving Care illuminates the divine truth that caregiving is not just a job. It is Sacred Work.

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Former President & CEO of multiple hospital systems and founding president & CEO of 20-hospital OhioHealth, best selling author, film artist, ordained minister, composer, published poet, syndicated T.V. host, trial attorney, federal prosecutor and Municipal Court Judge. Erie is internationally known as the founder of the Radical Loving Care(R)movement. He also heads Erie Chapman Foundation, Dane Dakota Productions, LLC, and Chapman Health International, Inc.

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Days 189-190 Learning to Fall

July 9, 2011

Stand under the stars and say what you like to them. Praise them, question them, pray to them, and wish upon them. The universe will not answer. But it will have spoken. –Timothy Ferris

In the days of childhood life had a simple quality. Maybe we were warmly wrapped in a cocoon of family life, school, playtime, friends, long summer days and cold winter nights. Then as young adults, we sailed off in freedom to pursue our dreams, feeling as invincible as the world’s first explorers.

Eventually, some of us set anchor in a safe harbor and settled into a conventional lifestyle to begin a career or perhaps marry and raise a family. Over time, allured by the world’s pull on us we may have succumbed to the pressures of conformity. Through the years, we weathered life’s storms and embraced moments of Grace as they ebbed and flowed.

Today, we find our world spins with an ever-increasing velocity, as the complexity of our fast-paced environment seems to accelerate. Technology’s explosion enables instant cyber travel across oceans but it can also shore us in with ensuing isolation.

The wheel of life continues to turn as if to free us from the trappings of the world’s restrictive nets. A new pull is upon us now as we come full circle. It draws us to a simpler way by reminding us of what matters. It was Saint Teresa of Avila who “saw that God chose the center of the human soul as a dwelling place because that is the most beautiful place in all creation” (Mirabai Starr, Editor).

In a recent Journal essay, (May 2, “Adrift on the Same Raft”) Rev. Erie Chapman shared this radiance, “In Love, we offer living water to each other. When we live Love, we are no longer adrift.” This life giving water is powerfully illustrated in the following video by Eric Lowen; a musician who is living with ALS. Eric said, “There are good days and bad days and there are good parts in bad days and bad parts in good days”

Daylight weaves into night and winds its way back to day. We live on a vast ocean of Love that holds our universe together within us and without. Sometimes we can't help feeling alone and adrift. Yet, when we reach out to share in each other's lives, we remember we are so much more.

With Love,

~liz Sorensen Wessel

Note: pencil drawing by ~liz

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6 responses to “Days 189-190 Learning to Fall”

Marily

July 9, 2011

Beautiful song Liz… thank you. As we live our days and nights… learning to care and love each other simply done or in its complexities turns our paths up and down, though it hurts when we fall we always lean on deep within and without, temporarily we are here and there again somewhere where we begin shining through…

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van

July 9, 2011

Thank you Liz, its beautiful. I love this site as well. Thank you for sharing…
van

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Maureen McDermott

July 10, 2011

Here am I in the midst of giving a retreat in beautiful Baulkham Hills – enjoying the space and solitude that are gifts of retreat. Aren’t we blessed that we can pause on our journey to take the time to be and to enjoy life in all its richness. Thank you Liz for your words of inspiration.

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erie chapman

July 10, 2011

Liz – Thank you for sending along the lovely lines from St. Theresa of Avila: “…God chose the center of the human soul as a dwelling place because that is the most beautiful place in all creation” The turn from childhood innocence and invulnerability can be heartbreaking. Your work helps strengthen and inspire us all.

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candace nagle

July 11, 2011

Yesterday, after reading your post, my grand daughter and I were browsing our favorite book/tea shop. My eyes landed on a book, drifted away, went back to it. So I picked it up and then realized that I was holding “Learning to Fall” by Philip Simmons. I love those coincidences that tie everything together so gently. He wrote the book two years before he succumbed to ALS.
Once home, we settled down with our books and I felt so blessed to be having a Sunday Sabbath time with Madeline. And doubly blessed to be reminded of the preciousness of each moment by a man who so courageously lived his last times with passion and compassion.
Thanks again, Liz, for your sharing. I love the starry night. This summer I have felt a desire to sleep out under the stars more often. May our nights be filled with shooting stars and dream seeds of soul nourishing truth to guide our precious days.

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Angelica

July 11, 2011

The first two paragraphs especially speak to me, Liz. At this time in my life, I feel so invincible, excited to follow my heart and see what God has planned for me. Although I have yet to reach my “safe harbor,” I have no worries that I will get there eventually. I am excited for what the future holds.
I usually feel so renewed in solitary moments…maybe it’s simply because of who I am. When I am troubled by things going on around me, allowing myself some alone time to reflect usually brings me back to a calmer state. But recently I spent time with my family in San Diego, and it was an experience that would not be the same had I been alone. These are people I have known and loved all my life, and to share that simple experience with them, made it an amazing experience. It’s a reminder that we need others, to share things with them, and to love them.

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