An Act of Courage

of holy fools and little flowers

Grant me,
Great Encourager,
the will to make
an Act of Courage;
determining to stay
in the Light of Hope;
to wear gentleness
as a cloak, in a world
that glorifies armor;
to take up a vocation
of Joy, in a world
hell-bent on anger
and tempted to despair.

God of the Holy Fool
and the Little Flower;
in Your Grace, grant me
the power to live
a foolish little life;
sweet with the fragrance
of Divine Love; soft
with Compassion.

Amen.

Having opened the doors to Oak Abbey shortly after the first of last month, I have been looking forward to the first of October. Partly because it's one of my favorite months of the year, with the tangible signs of Autumn appearing day by day. Earth offers her wise advice. Most notably to me, the courage of vulnerability and letting go; surrendering for the sake of transformation and the promise of new life. October is also filled with beautiful presences and stories to enrich and inspire us; with Thérèse of Lisieux and Francis of Assisi greeting us at the gate of this beautiful month. I cannot imagine better companions as we walk through the sacred season of vulnerability. 

In conversation with my firstborn child over the last few weeks, the topic of vulnerability has repeatedly surfaced as we have sought to know one another better and lay the foundation for closer relationship moving forward. At the recommendation of my therapist, whom we saw together yesterday, we even settled in last night and watched a couple of Brené Brown talks! It was nice to sit with him and hear some of these emotionally loaded scenarios presented in a lighthearted way. It was a helpful reminder of how utterly human and ordinary these struggles are, even though we may feel profoundly alone in our discomfort.  As difficult as it can be, with all of our tendencies towards self protection, vulnerability is the only path to deeper relationship. It is the only path to authentic love. It is a profound act of courage. 

And so, the theme of our first Oak Abbey monthly creative prompt is Courage. 

Please consider reflecting on what courage means or speaks to you at this moment of your life's journey. I invite you to respond and share in whatever way calls to you. I would love for this to be a comfortable space for sharing your experiences, thoughts, and creative responses. Thank you for reading and participating! I am so glad you're here! Happy October!