The events of late, from hurricanes to the horrible event in Las Vegas, leave us breathless, so aware of our fragility, and lack of control.
Yesterday I listened to the interview of a man in Puerto Rico, describing how he used his body as a shield, surrounding his son “like a shell”, while their house blew away around them. When the wind stopped, their home was gone, and they were huddled by the leg of a table.
Then I heard the words of a women who had been at the concert in Las Vegas. “We just tried to create shields by covering each other.”
It hits home, again, that no-where is “safe,” and in the midst of chaos, reaching for another human is often all we can do.
My only comfort is that the people who fell on Monday night were not only people, but souls. And bullets do not stop the journey of the soul.
If we believe our life is only as long as our visit on earth, in these fragile bodies,
Life becomes a very difficult game. And eventually we are all dealt the losing hand.
Since I was a child, I’ve found my peace in prayer and meditation.
As I age, I find my hunger for time with Spirit drives my day, whether by observing the birds in the marsh or lying supine on my yoga matt.
I’m confident life here is achingly short, but that our spiritual life itself is long. We have divine purposes deeper than our human understanding. The absolute best we can do is remain open to knowing it.
It may not be a dramatic, Ghandi-like calling.
It might be holding your child tight while the roof blows off.
I’m praying for the many devastated families today.
Wishing fiercely that we could turn back time and cancel that concert, close that hotel, divert the man who lugged so many rifles to his hotel room.
When I imagine their grief it feels like facing a cavernous black hole.
I’m praying they know, somewhere deep in their hearts, that life is a longer journey and their loved ones are still traveling.
And I hope that the horrible pain and suffering they are facing will not break them, but shape them in a way that leads them to a deeper journey.
Sometimes our hearts open widest for love when they are broken.
I imagine there are a lot of broken hearted people in Las Vegas today.
To you, I send love.