The Huddle #10: Never Let Go.
Well folks. Last week, we saw one thousand (read: twenty) democratic candidates squabble over our nation’s top priorities. And this Thursday, we’ll celebrate ‘Merican Independence Day. Now, I could take this moment to talk about how important it is that we all come together despite our differences, watch The Sandlot, sing “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”, yada yada yada…
But I’m not going to do that. What I am going to do, is share this with you:
A Great Need
Out
Of a great need
We are all holding hands
And climbing.
Not loving is a letting go.
Listen,
The terrain around here
Is
Far too
Dangerous
For
That.
- Hafez
The other day, I was driving to LA and saw two cars on the side of the freeway. These people had clearly just gotten into an accident. A little farther up the road was a third car pulled over, and as I drove past I saw a man step out and walk toward the place of the accident, bottles of water and flares in hand. Blown away by this man’s willingness to step in, I couldn’t help but wonder what I would do in his situation. Moreover, what would I have said if I were in the accident and noticed a man had walked up to offer help? Would I receive this kindness with open arms, or refuse any type of “intervention?”
When Hafez says that “not loving is a letting go” he’s not just talking about the love we give. Yes, we must be kind. We’ve got to take care of each other and extend a hand. But we also have a responsibility to receive.
When was the last time you let a compliment really sink in, rather than deflecting? When was the last time you accepted help on a task, even if you knew you were strong enough to do it yourself? And why is this so goddamn hard?
Well. Finding the willingness to receive, cracking the heart open, even just slightly, means admitting to ourselves that we want it. We want it all- love, kindness, compassion, whether we believe we’re worthy or not. And that is scary as hell. But, if you can find the courage to extend a hand and hold on, if you can build a practice of giving and receiving fluidly and without hesitation, then you, and me, we, can keep climbing.