As I listened to the stress being expressed, an awareness alert seemed to be repeating itself. This is not the first time I have heard the lament. It has been a recurring theme. As I consider lost opportunities, I wonder how often I am listen first with my heart. Part of me knows the answer; the other is still in denial.
In context, almost everyone I know carries an aspiration within her/him. At times it may seem illusive, almost as if it has hidden itself so well that it is missing. As others tell their stories, I have come to appreciate the many different shapes and sizes aspiration can and take. A gift we can always share is one of receptivity and encouragement. Receptive to the time and place we encounter the Other. With our embrace of compassion and community, we bring Hope into the conversation. Embedded in the conversation that usually becomes a dialogue, is respect, empathy, and a willingness to walk together if only for a time.
As I think of the stress expressed, I realize that there is a missing ingredient in the story; aspiration. I am not sure what is next for a brother. It is a space that is familiar. When I realize that I am drifting, the sense of lost direction is the absence of a desire in my heart for something better.
My response seems to emerge in a triptych.
A desire to hear, feel, and sense wisdom. “God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course.” (Psalm 119.33)
A longing for beauty and wonder. “God, give me a willingness to see what is beautiful and awe inspiring. Let the veil that blocks what is within and without be lifted.”
A willingness to be embraced by Courage and Hope. “God, may I be willing to let Divinity’s arms wrap around me in all their shapes and sizes.”
There is so much more that is possible. The journey begins with a turn towards love, beauty, and compassion. In our aspiration, we express our greatest values and dreams.
