My friend Bob Stilger reminds me that “our capacity to come into relationship is essential.” Yes. What I love about Bob is that over the 25 years he and I have known each other, he has pointed so often to what is underneath. He has a way of being able to point to both the bigger, long-arc complexities, yet at the same time, to the what’s-now simplicities. I’m glad.
Come, come into relationship. For the things known. For the things not known. For the things challenging and difficult. For the things joyful and easy. Dare to share. Dare to practice curiosity together. And blessing.
It’s is election day in the United States. Many positions and offices will be voted for. The US is a democracy trying to grow into more of itself. Yet with great and grand polarized views. Particularly around the next president. This day will reveal a tally of votes. It is also likely to reveal disputes and mistrusts. It is also likely to reveal manipulations of things real and conjured.
What to do?
So many of my friends, colleagues, and teachers have guided — stay awake. That’s a form of relationship. To the heart ache. To the heart afraid. To the heart that knows and expects to fly. We sing for and march in revolution. Yet we also sing for and march in beauty. We dream — sometimes it’s a respite cup of tea. We create beauty — sometimes it’s moving a few stones around with ceremonial intent. We seek out spots of comfort — like our cat Marmalade above, whilst awaiting company.
Come, come into relationship.
It has always mattered. It will always matter. I stand for a particular kind of entangledness. That brings us to wonder together, which has way of evolving and improving who we are together.
Relationship — some knowing of each others stories, aches, and celebrations — it gives us capacity and hope to face the next. The habit and addiction to ridicule and blame — that just entrains toxic adolescence.
Come, come.
We can find ways together to grow dignity, wisdom, capacity for hard things, kindness for the many moving nuances that we are, and flow with and among the bigger stories that we are now called to remember and to tell.