The wall above my hotel bed said it all, “This is where I am”. I do not recall experiencing these words with the same level of directness, clear black and white, one cannot ignore the message, before now. I had two reactions. First was a defensive reaction, “Yes, I am here but it is only temporary”. The second was more reflective, “Finally, someone is accepting me where and how I am, without any strings or conditions”.
Today comes with an invitation to embrace what is. The invite comes without conditions, filters, or expectations. The invite is to accept what is as it is. I wrestle with wanting this experience as well as sensing what comes with it as I find myself listening to Life’s whispers.
Creation in all its forms begins in this space. From reaching for what is new to restoration and recreation, the starting point is the same. It is where I am. In this space, one can grasp the relevance. It is from this vantage point that one can imagine, perhaps even see, what might be. Most importantly, I know the subject. It is not imagined or contrived. The subject is the person who I see in the mirror. It is the one I most often find myself in conversation with. It is simply where I am.
Change begins and ends within me. Change is in a language I recognise and know intimately. Change is for reasons that echo deep within my heart and soul. The change reflects the strongest desires of my heart. I am where I am. I have, within me, an opportunity to be better in all the ways I can imagine.
When I strip it back, a story is revealed in “an open book through the prophetic Scriptures. All the nations of the world can now know the truth and be brought into obedient belief, carrying out the orders of God, who got all this started, down to the very last letter.” (Romans 16.26). The story will be told in my words and actions of kindness and care.
