I had a thought this week which I have not been able to shake. As with most thoughts like this, it has grown into an idea large enough for a blog. So, the thought, at its core was this: Most of us spend our entire lives creating distance between ourselves and the world.
In some cases this is a necessary and healthy thing to do. Creating distance between ourselves and damaging or harmful people and situations is important. Knowing the limits of our abilities, our energies, is also important. It prevents us from overextending ourselves and causing harm.
Where I take issue with the distance is when we create unnecessary distance between ourselves and our world because we are afraid of what could happen to us. We're afraid of being hurt, of being judged, of a million other things. We fear the vulnerability that comes with sharing who we truly are because we are afraid that we will be cast out. We are afraid that we will be found wanting. So we create distance. We place restrictions, and barriers, and obstacles between us and everyone and everything else. Should I take a dancing class? No, because I'm not that coordinated and I don't want to look silly. Should I strike up a conversation with that person? No, because what if they don't like me?
Here's the thing...who cares?? If you want to dance, dance. If you feel like talking to someone, do it. If you trip on your feet, or they don't like you, oh well! Do it anyway.
And one place where I think we all create distance, and we're all afraid, is between us and God. We crave the presence of God in our lives but we fear it. We create ritual and rules so that we can keep God at a distance and bring him down to a size we can manage.
Really and truly, deep down in my heart I believe this, God is right here with us. We have only to accept and acknowledge him and open our hearts to his presence. There is no special ritual, no special procedure. Just acceptance and love. Available to us all the time, every day, without price, without question. Complete acceptance, unconditional love. Just imagine. And we flee from it because we are so afraid of our own flaws and inadequacies. We judge ourselves far more harshly than our Creator ever could or would. So we shrink from contact to protect ourselves, to hide our nakedness and our shame.
The world may tell us to be ashamed, and to hide, to build walls, but God never does. God never will. And we should not place limits, and barriers, and walls around ourselves. Reach out in love, accept yourself in all of your flawed glory. Accept others in theirs. Above all love. The greatest of all things is love.
Whoever you are reading this, know that you are loved. Immeasurably, always, infinitely, and for exactly who you are right this moment. Go into the world and love as you are loved. Tear down the walls that keep you apart.
