honored daf Sometimes it's not what the world does that matters. Sometimes it's not what's outside of us that holds the purpose for what happens outside of us. One day, a friend who only opens up to people they trust, opened up to me. It was a great honor, at least I thought it was. Some folks don't care how rare a candid moment is. They could care less that another has opened up with them enough to show them their deepest wounds. To those sorts of people, another opening up to them is a chore. Another boring soliloquy in a sea of them through which they must patiently wade so as not to appear unfriendly. They fidget and mostly resist the urge to roll their eyes. They try to offer a solution to the problem in order to put an end to the misery..both theirs and their friend's. I have to admit that I've been as guilty as they, but not today. Today I learned that the hurtful things most closely guarded need mostly a chance to be expressed..nothing more. Understanding is but frosting, while expression is the cake. And so they opened up to me this time, and it was a great honor. And they told me of how the pains of the world hurt them. How the suffering, greed and war make them bleed inside. And though they didn't speak a word, I heard them all. I heard them through my own heart. I felt a deep sense of frustration and sadness about the human condition that day and have every day since. And it would be easy for me to give in to those feelings and curse the world for war and hunger, for pain and suffering, for greed and indifference, but I don't. There was a time when my first reaction would have been to rail against the unjust and fight the injustices perpetrated by them, but not anymore. Instead I am honored that the world has chosen to open up to me and show me its great struggle. I am humbled and feel so blessed. I am listening now, not rolling my eyes or fidgeting. This isn't a chore. These aren't tedious moments, this waiting for the world's deep sadness to be expressed. It's a time to rejoice in the fact that I feel that pain right along with the world..even suffering that happens halfway around the globe. How lucky am I to have a heart, a real and honest heart that cares? How sacred is this blessing that I once counted as a curse? How good is God to have shown me what truly wonderful gifts I have been endowed with: compassion and empathy, concern and a deep and abiding love for life and all that share in it? And how could I have ever seen or known of these save for the suffering in the world experienced by myself and others? I am living and sharing in these mighty moments when the All trusts enough to open up and share its deepest grief with me. How could I be any more honored? 090406 what's it to you? who go blather from