togetherness

What do you think of when I say the world "vulnerable"?

Take a minute...

A lot of people (myself included at times) think of negative things like weakness, heartbreak, being unprotected, fear, etc. It's true, the hardest and most painful falls I've taken have been due to being vulnerable and opening up my heart to someone. However, the most elated moments of bliss I've ever had have come from being vulnerable as well. So where does that leave us, not just as individuals, but as a culture?

Numb.

Many of us have learned through experience that to be vulnerable is to be hurt, so we go through life with our fists up. Always ready for a fight, always ready for the let down. But, as my rabbi says, if you go through life like that, you won't get hurt, but you won't get hugged either. I personally prefer hugs.

 We all put so much emphasis on not being weak and not letting anyone get us down, that we have forgotten how to really love and cultivate friendships. We have much less joy building walls than we would if we were inviting others in. We expect bad, so we limit the power joy can have in our lives.

"All those trusting in Yeshua stayed together and had everything in common;  in fact, they sold their property and possessions and distributed the proceeds to all who were in need.  Continuing faithfully and with singleness of purpose to meet in the Temple courts daily, and breaking bread in their several homes, they shared their food in joy and simplicity of heart,  praising God and having the respect of all the people. And day after day the Lord kept adding to them those who were being saved." 
Acts 2:44-47 (CJB)

In the first century, they TOTALLY got it. They lived bearing with one another's faults and lifting each other up; sharing, caring, praising, and having joy. We gotta get back there. 

I will be the first to say that I looooove my private time. I love people, but I do fear letting them in sometimes, because as we all have, I remember what it felt like to get hurt. BUT, I'm more into getting loved. If I had not been willing to open my heart to Toby, we would have never gotten married...and that is an awful thought. We've all been wounded, deeply and not so deeply, but we can't stop loving and hoping.

So, this is a charge to myself and to you all: let's try togetherness.

There is a project/tour I just found about via bonnie at the whim wham life, called Together We Will Go. It is six friends from a few bands that moved into one house together and are now traveling the country, playing music, and bringing folks together. Now, I'm not saying you need to sell your house and travel to coffee shops across the US, but these are things we can do at home: help a friend in need, go out of your way to be there for someone, forgive your friends and don't grow bitter, understand that we are all trying to be better people and if someone falls short bear with them. We must do these things because WE need these things!

Let's stick together. Let's turn our lives into communities once again. 

Let's not shut out the world, but offer it a hand. Let's see how togetherness makes G-D smile.

Go check these guys out. It's pretty cool. 

Together,

~B~