In a world where all too often all we hear about are the mean things, the tragic and horrific things, I often ask God to not let my heart grow hard.
I want a soft heart.
Sometimes that hurts. Sometimes it is too much. Sometimes I don't even want to drive in my car for fear of killing a butterfly or wooly worm caterpillar trying to cross the road. Sometimes I am overcome with all that needs to be done, that I can't do.
But usually, it helps.
It helps me to be peaceful when things seem unfair.
It helps me to have patience when the person in front of me can't find the money they are looking for.
It helps me to be kind to servers and neighbors and strangers.
It helps me to strive for goodness in my life and the life of others....goodness of body and soul.
It helps me to be faithful in the little things that no one will ever see.
It helps me to be gentle with my words and actions.
It brings me love and joy.
I have more tears when my heart is most tender.
Tears of joy.
Tears of wonder.
Tears of thanksgiving.
When my heart is soft, I am able to rise up with enthusiasm each morning and believe the best is about to be...like the sign from pinterest says:
I am more thankful when my heart is soft. How is your heart?
Happy Thanksgiving to friends far and near!
11 comments:
Donna,
We all love your soft heart. :D
Love, Abbie
Soft hearts are infinitely stronger than hard ones. Their capacity is immeasurable. I love that your heart is soft. Love and joy are yours to give and enjoy.
You are a blessing.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you, Abbie! Let me know if it starts to get hard.
I hadn't even thought of that, but you are so right! Soft is stronger than hard. I love the counter intuitiveness of that idea and how God like it is. I love that I have found so many like hearted friends in blog land! Isn't it amazing?
Such a wonderful post, Donna. You are a tender heart. And, you are so right... it hurts more to be soft-hearted... but, there is more joy and love and life... I continually pray to be soft hearted, too. I have spent some times shut down with a numb heart and it is like being a shell of yourself. Thank you for this wonderfully inspiring post, dear friend! Hope you are enjoying a wonderful Thanksgiving season. blessings and hugs ~ tanna
I have shut down before, too and it is not much fun....a little safer perhaps, but not much fun. Blessings to you, too....D.
A hard heart is also shut down. It's all very complex. Some hearts are hard because they are terrified of those tears you mentioned, of the feelings behind them - terrified of the world, the complex world that shifts and shocks and takes away - nature, that has to have death and pain in it. Sometimes hard hearts are hardened for the sake of the illusion of control, the metaphor is often a wall, a wall between the heart and the sorrows of mortality. The problem is, when you close a door against sorrow, the door is just as closed against love (which is always a risk) and joy, which does not thrive in closed places.
I find that I am moved by beauty and love in much the same way I would react to grief - but grief is also a celebration - because you can't truly feel it unless you have had real love in your life. Just now, I'm tired of all the doing, and the comings and goings of children - the planning, the chessgame of time in the holidays. And tears come easier when you're tired. But I find that I am so little, the size of glory, the cost of astonished gratitude reduces me to what could look like sadness - but is simply the reaction to overflowing blessing.
Of which you, Donna, are a part in my life. I think, in this time of spiritual abundance, that the tears come because I can't hold it all - too many loved people, too many loved things to do - and I can't do them all or hold them all or give to them all - just too little.
A soft heart. That is what I am praying most earnestly for right now for someone I love and am watching struggle. A soft heart I know will make all the difference in the world......
Overflowing blessing! Yes. To know it and celebrate it and cry over the simple fact of it....
Stand in the midst of the blessings and be still...there will be time.
I will join you.
Soft is resilient, and best of all, expansive. And you have given me a new favourite term - like hearted. LOVE that!
Amazing, yes.
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