I am often surprised by the places small geckos (lizards) show up. If I thought about it for any length of time, I should expect them to be everywhere. Because I rarely think of the fact that they were here before me, I find myself surprised that they are here. As I watched a small one lazily move across the breakfast bar in my apartment, the realization that we are concurrently living together became tangibly real. Like it or not, they are here. Regardless of what I do, they will continue to be here. We are in this together.
In the reflection of the moment, the realization of how many stories in life overlap with each other, often occupying the same space, came into sharp focus.
Our relationships and lives overlap with each other. In the best of circumstances this is a good thing. Support, empathy, and collaboration all emerge because we are available to others. Challenges naturally emerge when we think we are competing for the same resources or working at odds with each other.
At times, more often than we realize, we are reaching in the same direction as others. The Psalmist observed that “Birds find nooks and crannies in your house, sparrows and swallows make nests there. They lay their eggs and raise their young, singing their songs in the place where we worship. God of the Angel Armies! King! God!” (Psalm 84.3) Just like the gecko in the apartment, others share space, resources, and friendship as they work along the same lines as we are.
It is easy to forget that we share roles in a larger story as part of the same family. In the moment at hand, I can see opportunities that used to be empty spaces. Reminders I am holding onto include the following.
The larger story will continue to evolve and grow. Staying connected with it helps one stay within the embrace that binds us with each other. We have so much in common. Our differences are potential gifts to each other as we live and walk together.
