“I am a person who needs you to listen, simply listen, hear me say 'this is hard for me', not offer an answer or solution,” writes Lana Hechtman Ayers. And we are in agreement that there is a move, an opening, a 'coming alongside' one another that is the first move to make when someone brings us their difficulty, or pain. For many of us, this is not at all easy to do.



Later, perhaps, when a request is made, it could well be time for us to bring a response. But first, before that, how do we quiet ourselves enough, and make enough welcome inside of us, that we can be the ones who meet others with sufficient dignity and welcome to be with them right where they are? And how do we set aside our own need to be right, be complete, and know what to do, so that we can be that for them?



Hosted, as always, by Lizzie Winn and Justin Wise of Thirdspace.



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Turning Towards Life, a week-by-week conversation inviting us deeply into our lives, is a live 30 minute conversation hosted by Justin Wise and Lizzie Winn of Thirdspace.  Find us on FaceBook to watch live and join in the lively conversation on this episode. You can find videos of every episode, and more about the project on the Turning Towards Life website, and you can also watch and listen on Instagram, YouTube, and as a podcast on Apple, Google, Amazon Music and Spotify.



Here’s our source for this week:



This Is Hard for Me



for Lizzie Winn & Justin Wise



I am not the broken mug in the sink,

handle snapped off,

fixable with a few dabs

of quick glue.



Nor am I the unmoored board

sticking up on the walkway

that a couple of steel nails

and even-handed whacks

with a hammer

will resolve.



I am not even the small pearl

button popped off the white

cotton shirt

that simple needle and thread

will neatly address.



I am a person who needs

you to listen, simply listen,

hear me say This is hard for me,

not offer an answer

or solution,

just caress my hand softly

as a fine rain,

a time for you

to be silent

and hold my struggle

as you would a precious newborn

already asleep in your arms.



Lana Hechtman Ayers



Photo credit / Arturo Rey on Unsplash