WOW!

 Yes, I did  just begin this blog with WOW!

What a faith community we are! Filling up back packs! Standing on the Side of Love! Going to marches!

WOW!
And it is good.

I have a lot of really deep thoughts and I have no idea how to put them in to words.   Words seem to be less than enough. So sometimes singing must do.

What I am thinking most is what will be the next calling. . .

When I started this blog, I was feeling low and weary. Now, I am energized because I see that we are among friends. And it is life -sustaining to be among friends who will hold each up or listen.  I find that I have so much more listening to do.

SHHHH!!!!

Just listen.  Listen beyond what its said to what was left unsaid.

WATCH!

 Watch and observe what is done and what is left undone.

And then I just sit and feel. . . breathe. . . get in touch with my deepest feelings.

What is the need?

So many people want to be heard.  So many people want a place to belong. So many people are upset by what they learned at such a young age. . . so upset by what they were conditioned to believe and  have feelings of discontent.

Sociologists may call it alienation. There are big structural shifts that have been occurring for so long and some folks feel left out, behind, angry they can't participate, angry that they need to participate.  When did the rules change?

And yet, that explanation only describes parts of the need?

Listening. . .
It is so important to listen.  Sheila Shuh was the theme speaker at the Ohio Meadville Summer Institute in Oberlin. She spoke about non-violent communication.   A style of communication that was developed in the 1960's by Marshal Rosenberg.  I recommend that you buy the book and include it in your spiritual practice.

It is important to reflect in our relationships that we can all get our needs met.  Conflict can be win-win.  This was said by Lewis Coser- Sociology 101.

My point is that if we can listen to ourselves as well as our fellow beings, we can find a way to get all of our needs met without leaving anyone out.  It takes a lot of listening and suspending judgement and learning.

Really, I am still learning this. I first read about non-violent communication about 20 years ago.  And, I'm only as good at it as I have learned to recognize my own needs and find appropriate words to use.

Using non-violent communication, does not mean that the interaction looks as pastel as pink, yellow of green colors. However, non-violent communication can include refraining from calling people names or purposely saying things that put people at a disadvantage. It can include speaking about real-life observations, sharing true stories about experiences.


Sometimes, pain gets in the way of telling a story like Joe Friday of that cop show-Dragnet.  Joe Friday firmly stated, Just the facts, mamm. Just the facts. What if we could tell our stories that way?
The facts stay the same, but the way we view them. . . . WOW!

It takes lots of practice! So much practice.  We need to practice.