i am a rock

lately i've been wrestling with a lot of thoughts about what it means to 1. be human and 2. be in relationship. in other words, i've been considering how the gift and task of relationship are such a part of what it means to be human. with such deliberate and intentional care, God has created us to function in relationship. it is difficult, though, and wrought with both joy and pain because we are so very sold out to the pursuit of self (protection, achievement, comfort...). we aren't always first to recognize what's best for us; nor are we first to pour ourselves out for others.

God's deliberate and intentional crafting of creation (nature, race, everything) was called good. And while our fall from a perfect place has landed us among thorns and thistles, I don't believe it has erased from us the mark of God and the creative ingenuity by which he put it all together, looked out over it all, and called it "good."

these are pieces of whole thoughts and the whole of my broken thoughts but maybe they'll make some kind of sense to you. I want to encourage you--me, us--to think about what it means to be human. consider what it means to flourish: where and how do you find significance and purpose? where and how to you call together the pieces of yourself that are meant to form your true identity?

so, Simon and Garfunkel...you've written a catchy tune with a lot of truth included. we do build walls--fortresses, deep and mighty, so none can penetrate. we stack things up around us for protection from the warmth and touch of another human soul. we call on our fear and doubt and darkness to convince ourselves, "i am a rock. i am an island." but we won't flourish here. we weren't made to be rocks and islands...

[my last year of school was a hard one, and i'm really only beginning to understand really just how hard. i sort of put a lot of long-distance friendships on the back-burner because I was so engaged in school and school life emotionally, spiritually, mentally. i miss life with those friends. i miss consistently knowing what's going on, what's being learned, even though far away. i miss the challenge of another's journey and the encouragement of another's learnings. lately i've been catching up with a lot of friends--phone dates, skype dates, letters--and it's been so very wonderful.]