No one grows simply by doing what someone else forces us to do. We begin to grow when we finally want to grow. ~Sr. Joan Chittister, The Rule of Benedict
In the film As Good As It Gets, the heroine, Carol, says to her mother, Beverly, "Why can't I have a normal boyfriend? Just a regular boyfriend, one that doesn't go nuts on me!” Beverly replies, "Everybody wants that, dear. It doesn't exist."
To me, this is the essence of being human. Each of us, in some way, in some corner of our life, wants to be the exception. We want to draw the lucky straw. We want to slide under the wire of having to experience certain parts of being human.
But here is the thing about a common life: all of us struggle. All of us celebrate. All of us have good days and horrible days. We all want to be loved and give love, even if it scares us. And all of us have choices. No matter where we reside in the world, our position in society, our economic status, our gender or our beliefs about God, we all have choices to make every single day about how we will act and react as members of Creation. We humans can never escape the reality that as complicated, messy, emotional, spiritual and physical beings, our actions and reactions affect others—animals, minerals and vegetables—every single day.
Whether we get better at this or become more loving, kinder, considerate, generous, patient, just, flexible and empathetic in these actions and reactions, well, that is up to us. It's not dependent on our bank accounts, education, churches or families. It depends on us choosing to grow, learn, change and accept what is, with God’s help. Here on Holy Saturday, as we wait for resurrection, it is time to decide. Will we grow? Or will we remain where we are, as we are?
For Reflection
As you wait for Easter, consider where and how God is calling you to grow.
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