I love libraries, books, and the vibe that happens there. Sometimes when I’m tired of my four walls, I take my computer there to work.
Recently, a lovely human, a member of a marginalized community, was working behind the library desk. When I stopped to talk, this person didn’t ask what I needed or what help they could offer. Instead, an unexpected invitation was offered. “How can I take care of you this morning?” It felt kind. It felt loving and extravagant. I was surprised by how that phrase landed in my soul. The question caused me to feel seen. The words of the question made me feel cared for. I was aware that politically and socially, this person does not receive the same level of care and concern they were freely offering that morning in the library. And that is why the phrases felt so extravagantly grace-full. I was so struck by the moment and the phrase, I kept one ear open as I did my work. Every person entering the library was greeted the same way. “How can I take care of you today?”
It was a holy moment, a very ordinary moment too. It was normal and extraordinary all at the same time. “How can I take care of you?”
Lectio Divina is the practice of reading slowly and noticing when our hearts are moved, then stopping to investigate deeply. My favorite writer and teacher on Lectio Divina is Macrina Wiederkehr. She writes that when we practice long enough within our reading life; it becomes a way of life. Reading with the expectation we will stumble into grace teaches us to walk through our days with the same expectation. Practice in one area spills into every part of our life.
“Remember that we are reading under the eye of God is an immense help for our distracted hearts. We are naturally distracted creatures. We do not yet own the undivided hearts we yearn for. Remembering that we are reading under the eye of God can help us remain open to the possibility of that divine eye guiding us in our reading.”
Macrina Wiederkehr in A Tree Full of Angels
The library question moved my heart. Over the course of a few days this week, I sat with that moment, believing it had something more to teach me. These are a few of the Lectio lessons I’ve harvested so far.
The question moved my heart, “how can I take care of you?” It’s such an obvious question and yet so kind, graceful, and tangible. The invitation I felt from the question was to ask myself more often, at the start of a day or week, “How can I take care of you today?” There is a gracious pause in the question. The answer seems to come unbidden and unexpected-like it’s been waiting to be asked.
The person asking, “How can I care for you?” moved my heart. They didn’t have to ask such a kind and graceful question. It would have been fine and expected even to say, “Can I help you find what you are looking for?” I wouldn’t have thought a moment more about the interaction and I would have found what I needed. But a different question landed differently in my soul. A moment that should have passed without thought instead has unfolded and overflowed for days.
The bravery of a person showing up in the world in full heart alignment moved my heart. My librarian communicated love and concern to people through careful phrasing of a simple question. Was there intentional thought about how to greet people as they entered? My guess is the question was an overflow of soul. The librarian’s words were a glimpse of their understanding of the world and their place in it. It was a question in alignment with values. My soul felt that alignment and I found myself in awe of someone living in such a brave alignment. I stumbled upon a rare gift, a person living their truth inside and outside. It was beautiful.
As I continue to consider that moment, the words of a song are humming in my head.
“Enter the wild with care, my love
And speak the things you see
Let new names take root and thrive and grow”
This song, The Lost Words Blessing was written in Scottish Gaelic folkloric form by a group of European musicians – Julie Fowlis, Karine Polwart, Seckou Keita, Kris Drever, Rachel Newton, Beth Porter, Jim Molyneux, Kerry Andrew.
Enter the wild with care…Just as the librarian is daily offering care to the patrons at the library, our days are filled with ordinary grace offering us, moments to pause, reflect, and stand with awe at the smaller, deeper invitations in the words, the breeze, the reflections of a walking lectio practice.
This week, may you pause before an ordinary moment and let the lessons unfold…
The invitation is to enter the “wilds” of your ordinary, average days with care.
Speak the joys, the care, the kindness you see.
Let new understanding, new grace, and new ideas take root-and may they thrive and grow.
I’ve shared this song before. May it be a Lectio listening experience for you this week. Add it to your playlist or morning listening and see what words sparkle, or invite you deeper. Notice how they find their way into your ordinary moments.
I feel like the librarian showed me the power of these words this week. Notice if a word or phrase stands out to you and feels like an invitation to explore, consider or walk with over the next few days.
The Truth
I will believe the truth about myself
no matter how beautiful it is:
I believe in my power
to transform indifference into love.
I believe I have an amazing gift
to keep hope alive in the face of despair.
I believe I have the remarkable skill
of deleting bitterness from my life.
I believe in my budding potential
to live with a nonviolent heart.
I believe in my passion to speak the truth
even when it isn’t popular.
I believe I have the strength of will
to be at peace in a world of violence.
I believe in my miraculous capacity
for unconditional love.
I will believe the truth about myself
no matter how beautiful it is.
-Macrina Wiederkehr