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*Brian Wilcox. "openness ~ when life is celebration". Flickr.
In being open, we become openness, we become spontaneous welcome for others to enter a safe, friendly space, an atmosphere of grace, for graceful. In being and becoming this, for it to be spontaneous, it happens naturally. This welcome, openness, spaciousness is uncontrived, with no separation between that it is and that we are. Welcome can happen, without any initiation of welcome, for hospitality is the natural Way. Indeed, in living more deeply, welcome simply happens through our being one with this welcome that we cannot make happen, only allow to happen. Some will say 'Yes,' some will say 'No,' and in being welcome, we abdicate all responsibility for how others respond. We simply choose never to close the heart, so live in this natural, silent hospitality.
'Openness' implies
natural receptivity to Life,
transparency to be seen and to see,
courage to keep the 'heart' welcoming, even
though we have all been wounded by others,
some so deeply hiding seems the only wise way.
Yet, hiding is not the Way;
drawing near the Way, we open
to the Way by the Way, so to everything ~
wonderful Grace!
This openness is to Life
not merely the details of our lives.
This is not something we can make happen,
we can only allow the natural openness to express,
for openness is not static, openness is alive, with Life.
When welcoming this openness,
we are open to the seen and unseen ~
we cannot decide what we will be open to ~
to the Mystery that can only be known
by being and living in Love.
Openness allows our receiving
and, so, being received;
Love, then, becomes known as a flowing.
If we shut the heart to Life,
we become like a stagnant reservoir,
life energies not able to move freely and replenish
body, mind, soul.
In keeping the heart welcoming to Life,
we remain like a freshly-flowing, life-giving stream,
and the ever-new energies bring in their current
wholeness and restorative vitality at the cellular level of being.
Likewise, the wounds that tempt us to close down
are the wounds, in openness, that receive Grace
in being exposed to healing Light.
When we shut out others and Life, 'close down',
we shut out Love, life becomes survival;
in openness, our natural being, we enjoy Love
and life is celebration.
Entering the sanctuary that Sunday morning early, I was confused about what next in my life. I had lost my career and home and marriage, and was living legally homeless in a small room given at a cheap rental out of goodwill. I prayed for a sign, some inner guidance to give a sense of hope. The meeting proceeded without any sense of reply, any particular grace of solace. Then, the meeting having ended, I stood, and looked up to the large stained glass image over the altar. I saw, as with fresh eyes, and joy arose. There was Jesus standing with open arms, welcoming whomever would come, not excluding anyone. I knew, then, the hope was in keeping my heart open, to say 'Yes" to life, to trust my life was meaningful in being welcomed by Grace and in being the welcome of Grace to others. In this welcome, this receptivity, I was loved and cared for, life was being in-Love with Love. No, I was not provided any detail about my life changing in any way externally, but I was given a guidance that there was something more important than a resolution of the confusing details of my life. I felt peace, relief, gratitude. I still feel this way years later, here and now. I live in this gratitude, Grace happens by Grace, and I feel the joy of simply living in spontaneous openness to others, human and nonhuman, and to the Spirit of Life. So, enough is said in one word, 'Thanks!' Yes, 'Thank You!'.
*Brian Wilcox. "welcome spaciousness". Flickr.
(C) Brian K. Wilcox, 2019
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