brokenness and vulnerability

 

 

 

  brokenness and weakness 

also mysteriously pull us out of ourselves. 

We feel them both together.

Only vulnerability forces us beyond ourselves. 

Whenever we see true pain, most of us are drawn out

 of our own preoccupations and want to take away the pain. 

 

For example, when we rush toward a hurting child, 

 we want to take the suffering in our arms. 

That’s why so many saints wanted to get near suffering—

because as they said again and again, 

 it “saved” them from their smaller untrue self.(1)



I think grief puts us in touch with our vulnerabilities.

 I think the feeling of grief lets us know the power of wounds

 to shape our stories. I think it lets us know how capable we are

 of having our hearts broken and our feelings hurt. 

 

I think it lets us know the link that we each have because we’re human.

 Because we’re human, we hurt. Because we’re human, we have tears to cry.

 Because we’re human, our hearts are broken. Because we’re human,

 we understand that loss is a universal language. Everybody grieves.

 All of humanity grieves. All of us have setbacks, broken dreams.

 All of us have broken relationships or unrealized possibilities. 

All of us have bodies that just don’t do what they used to do.

 Though grief is personal, every person grieves.(2)

 

 

 

 

 ~ Richard Rohr(1) 

and Dr. Jacqui Lewis(2)