Grace Tapestry

I have had many opportunities recently to reflect on the question of what our response should be to others suffering. This question has appeared in the past two weeks in many places. When a friend brought it up this morning, I was moved to write about it.

We are certainly weavers of our own destiny. I know this because I call things to myself and they come. I have been broken and hit rock bottom, and then later realized the incredible learnings that occurred as a result. I've been able to look back and see how my choices often caused what happened, even the ones I made blindly. I've been involved in soul altering Karmic clearings that played out in my life that involved energies that went back lifetimes. I've allowed love to change shape and be redefined in me. I have known the sweet blessing of grace. I do see a pattern of gossamer threads here, and I am learning to trust that, although it is not always easy. 

Still, some things that happen to others are so horrific that it's hard to get my head around why they might be happening. My heart hurts so much for them.

Can those people truly change that situation? What if they have absolutely no awareness that it is possible? What if in some cases it's not possible for some reason we can't see?

I believe that we all come here with some specific things that we are going to work on. There are many ways to work through that. We can't always recognize the pattern from where we stand, but it is there. It's like an intricately woven tapestry that we are all a thread of.

Having said that, I don't believe standing by and watching the suffering of others because I somehow feel they are a vibrational match to it is where I am called to be with this. As Sara Sophia Eisenman recently reflected on her Facebook page, this often seems to be a theme in the new age movement. I find it disturbing.

Sara's post was the first of many these past two weeks that caused me to pause and look at this question. In looking at the dynamic that allows something to happen, and examining where the person is at who is harming another we can look within and see what our response is to be. 

I look back on my own situation. While Archangel Michael is the one who saved my life in 2013, it has been through other people that the gift of grace has come to me, over and over and over again. 

Some examples: 

1)  Markers on my path that I clearly saw because others helped shed light on them. 

2) Learnings that showed me how to climb up and out and to follow my own path and forge my way - because others shared wisdom and knowledge and showed that there are multiple ways by their example. 

3) Connections and openings made within me because another spoke and walked their truth and it rekindled the fire within me, 

4) Simple hope given - love and help with basic survival so that I could feel safe enough to explore past that point. 

5) Clear sight. The ability to see myself through new eyes because of those who treated me as beautiful, worthy, amazing and valued.

6) Sacred space. I am learning the profound healing of holding sacred space for myself, my experiences and my journey because of the grace of those who hold that space for me and help me to see I can do this for myself, too. 

7) When situations don't seem to be able to be changed and they just are. When this has happened, I have known the gift of those who simply come and be with me. They aren't trying to fix the situation or me. They aren't analyzing or advising. They just sit with me. This is a profound gift, simply not being alone in the midst of pain, grief or chaos.

Without these things I would not be where I am, and I am grateful every single day.

So, I don't always know why. I can't always see that greater design. But I know that we are all part of that greater plan.

 I believe that often the way another person learns that they can change things, or survive things is because we are the ones to show them that. Sometimes we are the vessel that allows learning, hope to continue on, and grace to reach another heart. 

By speaking and walking our own path courageously, opportunities to interact with others are with us every day. Looking at the way the world is, it sometimes feels as if we couldn't possibly make a dent in all the greed, violence, fear and blind hatred.

But I know that we do. One heart at a time, starting with our own, then radiating out from there. And that's magic, my loves.