When It’s All Too Much

In a world that often feels too broken, too cruel, too divided, may you remind yourself that you are human.

May you set down your phone, which deceptively feels like the key to connection and belonging, and unplug, if even for a moment.

May you step outside and feel the sunshine warm your skin, and perhaps it may seep down and warm your soul, as well.

May you step your bare feet on the grass and feel the gentle give as it settles into your presence and lean into its sturdiness as it lets you know it’s there to hold you as long as you need it to.

May you look a human in the eye and feel the power of genuine connection, that only human-to-human contact can give. The connection that allows divides to feel less confident, opinions to become less firm, and bitterness to subside into curiosity.

May you place a hand on your chest and feel your heartbeat, and sit quietly as you hear your breath go in and out. In and out. Acts that often go unnoticed, but are the foundation of our existence.

May you refuse to give in to hopelessness and despair, while still allowing room for sadness and grief.

May you not give in to the tempting simplicity of black and white thinking and propositions. It’s always more complex than us vs. them or good vs. bad or right vs. wrong. Remain curious, remain open, and remain open to conversation.

And may your faith be a comfort as you remind yourself that you will never have all the answers to everything, and you were never meant to.