I grew up in a world of us and them. On my first trip as a 7-year-old, I was confronted by a coloured only drinking fountain. Given my thirst, I was so confused. Mom had been driving for what seemed like a lifetime. My brother and I were thirsty and needing to visit a restroom. Unknowingly, mom had driven up to the back side of a Southern gas station. I could barely read, but the message was clear. I was not welcome to use this drinking fountain.
My mother was apologetic but clear. I had to go and find a different fountain. It was the beginning of my awareness of the walls between my life and those around me. Church, school, worship days, food, entertainment, symbols of commitment – the list grew without apparent logic or holistic rationale.
The process of shedding the barriers between my heart and others began slowly. I give credit to a conversation a year or two after my fountain encounter. When I challenged the logic behind the walls related to symbols and entertainment, she easily conceded the irony.
“We hold onto this because of tradition. Your challenge is valid but be careful. You may not be accepted by those around you if you share your views.”
Initially, I kept my views to myself. In my silence, an embracing spirit toward others grew within. The walls were broken as I begin to seriously read the sacred writers held in esteem by others. Mindful eating, living, and a state of being linked me to a greater form of prayer. Disciplines of worship at regular intervals during the day strengthen my awareness of the Spirit who is always with us. The concept of how Divinity is manifest in thousands of ways, each reflecting the ultimate God helped me understand my calling in life.
Paul’s old words were true then as they are now; “It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else!” (Romans 1.16)
