This is What We are Capable Of

We humans:  We are capable of so much.
So very much.

We can easily let our suffering define us.
We know how to give in to our anger.
We are skilled at the delicate weave of long tales of woe,
knotted together with the prickly yarns of loss, of grief, of hurt.

It is well within our nature to run away from our dreams
with the same intensity as we would if being chased by wolves.

And yet.

We have walked on the moon,
Learned out how to fly;
Stood firm against hatred,
Refused to go quietly
To the back of the bus.

It has been scientifically documented
Again and again
That we are capable of stringing together
A quiet string of words
In such a way
That our fellow humans can't help but weep ~
Caught in a state of disbelief
That life can be so beautiful
And we humans can be so pure.

~

This is what I was thinking about as I sat in the background of a weekend of awakening shared with sixteen eager students and an extraordinary teacher named Sabrina.  Whenever it was not necessary for me to be mixing paints, preparing gesso, or answering questions, I sat still on the sidelines and just basked in the glow.  I listened to the scratch of pens across paper, watched the expressions of wonder across all the beautiful faces, and felt my heart stir at all the magic and beauty we humans have within us.

There are so many stories of suffering and pain in the world right now; there is no shortage of information that serves no purpose other than to drain our weary, tender spirits.  But not everywhere, and certainly not in this studio while Trust the Mess was in full swing.  Here was where I was witness to what we humans are capable of.  Here I was reminded of how precious these moments are ~ these moments when we take a chance, and go to great lengths to spend two days in a room with strangers, willing to cry and smear and sand and laugh and show up in every possible way.  Here was mystery and joy, here was compassion and light.  Here was a deep howling at the wild moon within us, where everything is possible and all is right with the world.

Comments

[Marianne]

Beautiful! What powerful and healing work you and Sabrina are doing in the world. I love you for it.

[Jennifer]

This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Thomas Edison. He said,
"If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves."

Great post.

[Sabrina Harrison]

Truly Truly

[Dragonfly Reflections]

Oh my how I wish I could have been there. Next time - definitely.

Thank you for sharing your memory so beautifully.

[Lisa]

Oh how beautiful...so deeply beautiful. Thank you.

[Melissa]

I love this! Just wish I could have basked in it with you.

[sperlygirl]

at the beginning i felt envious as i would have so loved to have participated in that weekend...but as i read your 'string of beautiful words', swirly, i felt as if i was indeed there if only for a fleeting moment. such beauty. warmly,s

[Cassie]

Please, please do it again. I want to be there feeling this and bask in it all. You women are amazing. xx

[Shanda Dae]

this was sooo magical....what spectacular days of wonder and discovery...delight...simple sweet epiphanies..laughter and tears...

christine THANK YOU!!!! sooo very much, your graciousness and mellow calm set the perfect table for such a joyous rich vulnerable experience and I thank you...truly an experience to carry in my pocket (i may sew it into my pocket just for safe keeping)

Shanda Dae

[Tracie Hanson]

I am so lucky to have been there.....Christine, YOU are magical....your beautiful words here have brought a gorgeous conclusion to what was indeed a wondrous weekend. Thank you for sharing your sweet spirit and holding the space for us to howl!

[Maggie]

Gorgeous, and so true. Lovely of you to notice all our beauty and reflect it back to/for us.

[rachael maddox]

i love it. so beautiful.