Before I Begin...

Before I Begin...

I'm thinking of the way dogs touch noses.

I hope you're feeling vulnerable,
and that we're drawn together
by my own vulnerability.

It's not always how we meet,
but what we bring with us
that creates the sacred space
in which we may know God.

Yet if at this very moment
our hearts resist love's calling,
let's seek counsel from the mystics,
and be open to their wisdom.

---

Before I begin,
I have something important to say.
~ Groucho Marx

Each day holds a surprise.
But only if we expect it can we see,
hear, or feel it when it comes to us.
Let's not be afraid to receive each day's surprise,
whether it comes to us as sorrow or as joy.
It will open a new place in our hearts,
a place where we can welcome new friends
and celebrate more fully our shared humanity.
~ Henri Nouwen