As I move through different circles
of interacting with others, an observer’s first impression of me may hinge on
what I look like. However, my body is
not me. It is the house in which I live. If you say that I am so many inches tall,
or that I weigh such and such number of pounds, I will reply, “You are not
describing me. You are talking about my address.” [Plotinus]
(Photo by Nancy Bauer, OSB) |
When we share stories with one
another we begin to notice who we each are at a deeper level and may actually
discover certain layers of inner beauty.
In the transformative and
life-expressing exchange of storytelling,
the listening presence of an
attentive “other” helps me see more fully who they are and who I am. It
helps me discover again the truth of this African proverb “Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu.” (A
person is a person because of other people.)
Once
we risk taking off a layer of our skin by telling honest stories to one another,
who knows, we might find that more of us can walk around in our uncovered gorgeousness.
Mary
Rachel Kuebelbeck, OSB
Beautifully stated. Getting one another to tell our stories grounds us in faith communities and opens each of us to growing whole.
ReplyDeleteI'm so pleased this blog spoke to your heart, Pat. You sound a wise and faith-filled person.
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