I was recently asked the following question (edited for content)
…what do you do with someone who insists the dimension of God they “know” is sufficient? I am a little sad because I notice when there is combativeness (as I sense in this situation), I seem to lack the maturity to disregard all that and rest into myself. Instead, I fault myself for not being able to find the right words/manner to be heard…and my joy takes a hit!
To which I respond:
We have a new kitten. My daughter loves it. It is easy to see that the kitty waits for her to come home from school. Then, when she does arrive home, the kitty hides under the cars, the porch, and bushes. This frustrates my daughter who wants to hold and pet her kitty.
I told her to just sit on the porch and play with something else or pet the other cat. It was hard for her at first but she finally did so. As you no doubt can guess, the kitty came out in little time and sat on her lap.
Who is the kitty and who is my daughter in your life right now?
Adults get into the same relationship tangles as children. We just couch them in more ‘sophisticated’ verbiage.
Is this where patience, love and understanding come into play?
Feeling where the other person, or thing is within themselves and feeling into yourself with that, to allow them the space to feel open/receptive, waiting for the “in”?
Just like so many times in the past three years..I will be on a topic with clients or friends and that very topic will be the subject matter in a blog or addressed in class.Yesterday I was sharing with a client how I recently felt the satisfaction of some subtle growth within the area of acceptance.I have struggled for several years with people who lead with an “absolute knowing of God” because of several years of studying a great book. Some have spoken to me in a manor of “Jesus and I are best friends”. It seemed the reason for this mind set was to achieve an end result of I am right and you are wrong.God is with me..I will just pray for you. Two days ago a close friend asked me why I thought that when people find their God,they have to convince everyone in their world that they too “need” to embrace this God.
The point is… the kitten analogy is so simple and so encompassing and so very true. Exactly what I needed to hear today.
A smile and a thank you
haha i definitely was just writing of this same topic as well. your words hit exactly where they need to! i’m filled with so much gratitude to have found this community you have created.
And the picture days it all, that’s a much more relaxed kitty coming out from hiding.
Makes me feel the Avatars through the ages might be waiting on the “porch” of time, knowing any contrived or forced emerging/merging would be counterproductive not only for the individual but for mankind generally.