Under the same roof
we bump into each other’s moods,
trip over each other’s selfishness,
startle each other when lost deeply in thought,
hide from one another when overwhelmed by life’s abuses,
awkwardly spill onto one another what goes on in our hearts,
stumble into one another’s space over unseen lines of demarcation.
Life as is
isn’t always pretty –
lots of pride bruises,
plenty of character wrinkles,
too many tear-stained sleeves,
sleep deprived under-eye puffs,
scabbed over conflict abrasions,
scarred adhesions belying past wounds.
Yet
life as is
is also
love,
forgiveness
asking forgiveness
self-sacrifice
listening,
praying,
grace,
silliness,
coffee,
inside jokes,
chocolate,
secrets confided,
belly laughter,
favorite songs,
retold stories,
cringy dancing,
exclusive memories,
movie nights,
card games…
These
heal the heart injuries,
smooth out creased personalities.
Then
out in the world around us
the joys and imperfections of
life as is
are either
painfully visible or
surprisingly subliminal.
We connect with
our neighbors,
our faith community,
our trusted friends,
those we serve and bless,
Together
we learn
we are not alone in our struggles,
we are also not alone in our victories,
we lean into each other,
we celebrate together,
we live at the behest of our Creator.