In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit…Albert Schweitzer

choosing integrity in friendship, communication and beingness honors the innate kindness we share…..we can’t see truth unless we meet others on the way….may you know angels in your life….may you be an angel in someone else’s life….

Being with others reveals the truth about ourselves. When I spend ten minutes with a man or woman of genuine sanctity, my own unsettled state becomes only too obvious. If I spend ten minutes with a troubled friend, my inability to help becomes equally apparent. Being with others teaches us our limits, shattering the illusions painted by self-love. By the same token, of course, being with others reveals our strengths. You may notice that you sit more calmly, think more clearly, work more efficiently than your neighbor. This knowledge is invaluable, because it tells you what gifts you possess that can be put at the service of other human beings, and because it offers a temptation to pride. We build an inner life by overcoming the force of temptation. Being with others teaches us that we find love by loving. This is the Great Rule of the spirit. The more the sower plants, the more he reaps; the more we give, the more we receive. Love can’t be defined; Love, like life, is an absolute, beyond definition. The Gospel of John declares simply that ‘God is love.’ Each of us, whatever our religious beliefs, can grasp the meaning of this graceful equation. Without love, we have no life; and love is the life we have when we are ‘being with others.’…..P. Zaleski and P. Kaufman

finding our true nature….

How do we hold presence for others? How do we hold love for others, with no agenda? I can’t help but wonder what the world would be like if we all gave unconditionally and held presence for others, even strangers. Squeeze in beside someone so you are arm-to-arm. Stop moving away. Be fully present; listen to their story without being tempted to respond by recounting your own. Be there, with words or not. Don’t check email, withdraw, or cook dinner as you listen. Recognize and own how your presence ‘changes the experiment,’ changes others. Show them that you truly care whether you see them or not. Lend them your strong, warm arm. Let them relax into you…..Patti Digh