With the exception of penguins and poultry…
During my Christmas Break, I finally got to read some books for fun. I chose two short ones, but both with some great stuff if you really delve in. The first one I read was The Shack. I know, I know. I resisted reading it for almost a year, but alas I gave in. I didn’t like it at first because of the way it affected my emotions – the “mother’s worst nightmare” thing really hit me hard. (I know – I am not a mother, but aren’t we born with these maternal instincts?) Once I got past that to the story behind the tragedy…the stuff about relating to God. I think what inspired me the most was the book’s underlying theme of forgiveness and redemption. Forgiveness as an active choice we make that can heal both the forgiver and forgivee. Also, the book talked a lot about accepting love and living as one who is loved deeply (same as Nouwen’s views of living as the Beloved).
“Most birds were created to fly. Being grounded for them is a limitation within their ability to fly, not the other way around. You, on the other hand, were created to be loved. So for you to live as if you were unloved is a limitation, not the other way around.”
Living in and accepting love from God and others is within our abilities, but living loved is also influenced by your acceptance of self. Loving yourself. Not in a narcissistic way, but in a Beloved sort of way. Not only being happy that you are valued and appreciated by those around you but accepting our limitations and learning from past mistakes. Giving our selves a little bit of understanding, a little credit where credit is due. After all, we give the benefit of the doubt to others (or at least we try to), so why should we not believe in ourselves as well? And live as if we are deeply loved – because we are! Easier said than done and never something to ever fully arrive at, but a conscious relinquishment of self-doubt and self-hatred for something that bears new life, new growth, new understanding.
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