Most days, we keep our hearts tucked away.
Hidden safely behind our careers, our obligations and our busy…
we keep our hearts protected.
We smile.
We nod.
We answer “fine, how are you?“,
and we bustle away.
We carry on that way for years,
kind and caring,
but ever careful to stay in the shallows.
We carry on that way,
protected but not safe,
strong but not sturdy,
accompanied, but not together,.
visible…but not exposed.
But every now and then, something happens in a community, and there’s a chink in that armor.
A storm.
A storm that stops here and stops there
Yet leaves some of us untouched.
A storm that forces us to
rethink
restart
then rebuild.
As storm that let’s the light shine into all of the dark places.
And all of those hearts that are safely tucked away start to swell…
until all of a sudden…
Our Love falls out.
And with that Love out there in the wind, we can do anything.
We can build,
we can pray,
we can laugh,
we can cry.
We can truly see each other.
When we let our Love fall out…
we become the Community we are called to be.
And we thrive.
Until we feel too vulnerable
Until we feel too susceptible.
And then we tuck it back away.
And we go about our days again.
Hidden safely behind…
Those careers
Those obligations
That busy.
And we are visible again, but not exposed.
And then something else happens,
something so painful,
That our armor cracks wide open.
And again…
Our Love falls out.
And this time…
We pray for our neighbor,
We pray for our enemy,
We pray for God’s grace,
God’s peace,
God’s wisdom.
We stand together,
green ribbons on those hearts,
As our Love just falls out all over.
Again and again and again.
We hold hands,
we hug a stranger
And we grieve.
As our Love…her Love…his Love…His Love…
fills all of the empty places and dusty spaces left from when we were protected, but not safe
strong but not secure
accompanied but not together,
visible…
but
not
vulnerable.
And with our Love at our feet,
we find ourselves being true
and together,
and sturdy
and safe.
As our Love falls out we say…
You are not alone,
No one is alone.
Because this is our Town,
This is our Home,
This is our Heart,
This is our Love.
And we all know…
That the greatest of all is Love.