Day full of moments

As I begin to prepare for then evening close, I light a candle brightening up my room; reminding me of the light within that shines. Reminds me of a prayer on my heart for those in darkness, those who on this very night are away from loved ones; embracing a challenge or simply are surrounded by love. 

The evening heat is surrounding me, while my nose is running; like two opposites occurring in the same moment. It sort of reflects the kind of day I have wittiness and embraced. 

Moments of been extremely tied only to have tasks at hand to complete; 

Moments of joy to be able to speak in a 

familiar language 

to another listening to the journey that brought 

them to that very moment we share; 

Moments 

when words are used in frustration 

and expression of anger 

falling onto soft hurting hearts… 

There was one moment in the coolness of the formal sitting room that I joined Sister. A moment of realization in letting down all the walls, letting down every notion of sensing words that spoke to just embrace in the girlie chat that unfolded. I don't recall a lot of the conversation; only moments of laughter, sharing that unfolded and moments of great comfort that no words would express how to me it would be normal to sit and talk about nothing, about everything with a loved one. A girlie hour as I would term it! I realized after the event the I have rather missed those moments, those free encompassing moments that breath is so natural as too are the words that fall with no restriction… 

In truth the day had hints shimmer through it of the reality of a world that lays behind walls. Walls that are constructed in so many different forms and ways, often at times surrounding people who know each other but are not with each other. 

In a world where sourcing diversion is an unspoken past time. Cooking. Writing. Traveling. Reading. Watching. Scanning the Net. Social media. Obsessing with small details of no particular task. 

Leaves me with a delightful sense of hope in a way. People move so rapidly in society and leaving offers a unique salvation in the end. Fresh start, welcoming surprises and unpredictable awareness at times. With hope of finally finding a fit. 

And yet, here I am, wondering who my neighbors are, feeling so far away while at the same time hoping I am contributing in small ways to their own small moments of time. 

Yesterday I had an encounter with this wonderful Japanese lady. We sat at the tram stop waiting together, two relative strangers staring quiet insecurities into mid air. Her words spoken in Japanese taking me a moment to translate - "I have been lonely since arriving in this country. Its so hard and dark days" This women, who admittedly would be a generation older than I, yet in some odd way so similar and so different. Replying in my broken Japanese, that its going to be alright after all, look she is sitting in the sun, speaking to a random stranger who feels honor to talk to her. Slowly a little smile came and through her broken english and my broken japanese she started to unravel a little of her story. We journey on the tram and then I exited. I said I'd be at the same place after easter, join me for morning tea; saying a prayer for her as I the train continued on its path. 

It made me realize something… we all miss out at times because of our efforts to try stay busy, or stay in the moment of the past. 

In that moment, 

I sat feeling the warmth around my heart 

hoping it would flow over to her, 

longing to give all, 

teach her to hang on. 

We all miss out, with our desire to self-protect only ends up sheltering us from the hope that surrounds us. How do we outrun this narrative, where we're all feeling the same things behinds separate closed doors?

Why do some endure an entire year of Winters? How on earth can we be warm again?

I know its not winter for us, yet Im sure we all know the winter Im referring too, that winter of the soul. I'm afraid that it's universal and Im here to make a plea for it to end. 

Sitting here typing, I feel that its the times we are feeling most alone are often when we most assuredly hold the key to unlocking someone else's pain. 

What if, instead of suffering through the winter, we put on a raincoat, put on a jumper, gumboots and walk together through winter?

Let's say yes to that meeting that person when we'd rather say no. Let's linger over a cuppa and lean in to the story. Let's look up on the train to see the faces around, or when walking in the street opposed to been on the phone. Notice the faces that move around us daily. Lets acknowledge in sincere ways the love for each other. Let's finally start believing its possible to jiggle places that unite us altogether.

I dearly love this image - 1Corinthians 16:14 - do everything in LOVE