“Give me the listening ear. I seek this day the disciplined mind, the disciplined heart, the disciplined life that makes my ear the focus of attention through which I may become mindful of expressions of the life foreign to my own. I seek the stimulation that lifts me out of old ruts and established habits which keep me conscious of my self, my needs, my personal interests.” Howard Thurman, “Meditations of the Heart.”
If ever there was a time it surely is now that my listening ear may be made better to hear the disciplined mind and heart that I may become, as Thurman so beautifully phrased it, “more mindful of expressions of the life foreign to my own.” There are so many diverse expressions.
Yesterday I watched as a photographer explained he travels world wide taking photos of strange wild life creatures that are now only to be found in zoos. Mates, for some, however, no longer exist. I never thought I might ever be sorry to see the last photo of a frog, a rather strange, small, mottled brown and grey one. This was the last of his specie – there are no others. And so many other wild and wonderful animals no one will ever see again except perhaps in a zoo in a far away land.
And of course that got me thinking about not only creatures and plants but of all the peoples in the world that have been, are and will be and then one day will be no more. And that of course includes you and me. Are we planting, writing, creating a life today that will be a legacy outlining who we are, what we aspire to, what we choose to represent? This reminded me of the lines of the song, “Wondering where I’m bound.” But more than that, I thought about the people I will never have the opportunity to meet, never have the chance to hear their stories, never share a meal with or a hearty laugh, never have the privilege of sitting in a quiet moment with.
But those I do, can and will meet I truly choose to see them and hear them. If I don’t understand, I will give my best to listen to their explanations. I choose to grow a deeper and more listening heart with my earth roommates. Our time together is too short to spend it in harming, belittling or terrorizing one another.
The Rev. Patricia Ballard is pastor of the Oroville Center for Spiritual Living.
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Pastor Talk: Give me understanding - Oroville Mercury-Register
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