In a moment of candidness, I began to talk about something I had learned. I thought I was being helpful as I expounded on my starting point followed by the way experience had introduced a new perspective and ultimately insight.
My listener was in a different space. The context was not looking back but forward. As my words landed, the conversation shifted without notice to the future.
My initial response was confusing; “Perhaps you missed my starting point. A lesson I have learned is…”
“Yes, I understand that. The question is…”
It was as if emotions and feelings from across times and relationships were compressed and then compressed some more. I look back and can see how “my insides got hotter and hotter. My thoughts boiled over; I spilled my guts.” (Psalm 39.3)
The spiral and reaction was, on both sides, less than pretty. Life pricked my soul, reminding me of old pains and cuts, and I could see more than I have in the past.
Explosions can and do occur when everyone has the best of intentions. There is a moment when things turn. In the pivot, things can spiral into an explosion or we can reach for healing. Without intentional planning and a willingness to do no harm, there is no chance that the outcome will be positive.
In every moment there is an opportunity for healing, restoration, and making a positive step forward. We may not see them at the time, but they are here.
Healing may initially start as a one sided gift from one to another. Life replays scenes where healing was realized. As I see the replays, I know that when healing is received and grows, the healer is also healed.
I reflect on the way this volcano is different than others. At the core compassion was one heart that was willing to share it with another. In compassion, confession, healing, and new beginnings found their grasp. The steps that usually ended up ugly became an opportunity to reach with others for more; a volcano that imploded, giving possibilities life.
