Revealing God through the Dance of self-Emptying
Soon after I finish writing this, I will stop by a neighbor’s home. He and his wife have a garden and they have excess romaine lettuce that they would like to share with us. A text came out of the blue yesterday asking me to stop by and pick some up. The concept of self-emptying is such a natural part of their way of being. This pouring out, or sharing the bounty of their effort and time, comes so naturally to them. Thinking of another, thinking of giving, is a normal state of their lives.
Living in northern Florida has been an experience of generosity from newly formed friends and neighbors. When we purchased our home our realtor shared, “We take care of our own.” That is definitely true. We have been given peppers, relish, a crate of turnips, pickles, persimmons, the most delicious oranges, several flats of fresh blueberries, strawberries, bananas, and more in the time we’ve lived here. I heard of one neighbor who will soon have grapefruit and lemons to share. The level of kindness and generosity here is like nothing I have experienced. My friends and neighbors embody this open flow of self-emptying; and I am learning.
From Elaine Casap From Phoenix, Arizona
What Do I Have to Share?
I am learning that there is no accounting system that accompanies this flow of generosity. In the first year of experiencing this abundant giving, I was trying to give back in equal measure. The more I gave, the more came back to me. There simply was no way to “keep up” with it all. What I feel is beginning to come into my thinking is a new perspective and awareness of “what do I have to share”? A generous neighbor gave me a bag full of peppers so I made relish (with their recipe because it was so good) and gave some of it back to them and our other neighbors as well. It is a natural way of being here.
Opening to Love
Could it be, as we empty of our self-centered desires and ambitions, we open up the capacity to allow that which has been given to move through us? As we do this to any degree, we actually build this capacity for even more to move through us? Could the act of emptying self-centeredness actually open room for the experience of love to be experienced?
Could it be that it feels so darn good to allow this flow to move through us, we begin to love the feeling of the flow of it? And could it be that the joy of this love flowing through us is so delightful that we begin to look for more ways to allow this experience to continue to move through us?
Is it possible, that the aperture of our heart’s ability to share becomes larger as we give. And as it grows, we actually begin to realize the Source of this ability to give/love/share is so large and so vast that we could never give all that can flow through us. Perhaps we begin to realize a Source greater than we could imagine is ready, willing and completely able to pour more than we ever conceived into and through us. Could this be the dance of Love becoming manifest?
It is time to take a walk to my neighbors. I am stopping by just to see them, to share a moment of kindness and gratitude, to see their garden and admire their work and yield, really, just so I can share in this energy of love.
Generosity Opportunity
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