Allow

This one surprised me.

I have been praying for one word to guide me through this year of growth and the one that kept coming to mind was “connect”. That word ties my empathy, adaptability, and connectedness together into a neat and tidy bow colored by my core strengths. It seemed appropriate and comfortable.

Maybe too comfortable.

Just now, a new word came: Allow.

Really? You mean like letting go? Giving up control?

Like being dropped on the back of a spirited horse without a saddle and letting her steer?

Um (hand-by-ear) ... not sure about this one.

Allow God’s love to work through me. Ok. I can do that. The empath within me loves to soak in God's love and splash it around. I see anonymous people appreciating my smile as they pass through my check-out line and we make momentary eye-contact. I interact with hundreds of people this way each work day, crew members and customers both.

I can enter into a dear friend's pain as easily as her joy.

Check.

Allow time and personal space for open arms and warm hugs. No-brainer. I'm there. Where else but my store can you come in for groceries and a hug?

A soft touch on the back of a team member that says, “I'm behind you.”

I have your back.

I'm here if you need me.

I am present … and available … and willing to share my time, my talents, my love.

I'll share my personal space with you. Any time.

Briefly.

Extended personal-space sharing is reserved for my spouse.

Check

Allow for people to be who they are even if they are judgmental, extreme, hate-filled, vindictive.

Ouch!

Allow people to be who they are, believe what they believe, while maintaining appropriate and clearly-communicated personal boundaries on their behavior.

Not sure where this one is going or why it is here. But there is something (someone?) deep within me that (who?) can't wait to watch it develop. Somewhere in here lies the challenge to "love my enemies."

Um … check … sort of.

Check back here in a month or so to see where this one is heading.

“Allow” has a sense of peace, of release. It lies at the narrow interstice between pushing our own agendas and pulling back in fear. It feels like letting go with the energetic excitement that I am not in control of where we are going … and eagerly anticipating God’s next move in my life.

I am picturing myself stepping away from the helm … and allowing Someone Else to steer.

Eh … um … OK … not sure this is going to work.

But I am OK with living my life as if it will.

That's Faith.

Allow for a time to ride on the power and strength of the Spirit. My father places my daughter on the back of a horse for the first time in her young life. She feels the fear of letting go, of allowing it to happen. She also feels the awesome excitement of anticipating it moving forward. You can see that in her expression. Fear plus excitement.

I can allow for that.

Space.

Time.

Love.

Trust.

Faith.

It's all right here. Wrapped up in "Allow".