Dear Wonderful Woman,
Have you ever noticed that no matter our age or life situation, women experience similar feelings, both good and bad? It might be our natural tendency for empathy and our desire to see the good in a situation—instinctual hope.
I love sharing the words of my guest writers. They make up a lovely constellation of the woman’s voice. Today’s writer is no different. Her name is Ariel and she writes from prison. With her reflections, we feel something familiar, something courageous, something hopeful.
Here are her words:
A Voice from the Wilderness
by Ariel
It was in the banishment that I found my voice and
I learned to be selective in speech.
In my youth, silence served me and
in my growing, tears balmed my soul.
With age, verbal aggression protected my heart and
tender words soothed others.
I’ve always felt the pain within
of the lives of others and
processed united cries alone.
Solitude observation brought only isolation
and who hears the cry of a child
if there are no ears around?
In banishment, though, I stand not alone.
Communally we cry as children forgotten and
still no one hears our sound.
The wilderness has become our home and
the luxuries of physical freedom have been replaced
with instinctual hope and dependence.
We do need each other and
our hearts beat better in the presence of Love.
We may be broken, scarred and rejected,
but together the beauty of all these lines
projects from a single point of Love
that changes the world.
May the Fire of God’s Love
Cleanse hate.
**********
As I read and reread Ariel’s words, I think of how the mind can place any woman in isolation, feeling as if no one hears her. Ariel inspires me to look for opportunities to take action; to reach out to women around me. Please join me in doing the following:
- Notice those around you; make eye contact
- Give hugs when it’s appropriate—smiles of kindness are usually appropriate
- Tell her you cherish her and why
- Sit down over coffee (or tea) to chat
- Reserve judgement, be curious about what she’s saying
- Ask yourself (or God or your angels) how you can best express love to this person
- If appropriate, ask her if you can pray together or sit quietly in silent prayer
- Keep her secrets in your heart, don’t share with anyone
- Assure her you’ll continue to remember her in your prayers
- Make sure you follow-through on your promises
It’s possible to suffer from an incarceration of loneliness. My friend Sharon once said, “What I do to you, I have done for myself.†So today, be like a flower in the wilderness, the light of hope for those around you who long to trust again. By reaching out to others, you help yourself. You’ll feel the communal warmth of God’s Love everywhere.
May your self-trust build confidence,
Jan