Sanctuary

This is another exploration prompted by something someone wrote in the Hospice writers' group that struck a chord with me. The phrase was, "be home to those who come into your life." When she read that part my brain stopped listening for a moment and said, "write that down, pay attention." So I did. 

I then wrote about it during the group and I wrote about it again this morning beside Mother River. The results are below. I am including the whole writing process because it was interesting to me to see how I got from one place to another through the words. The theme is the same throughout.

Be home to those who come into your life. Be a place of peace and rest, a safe place to simply be, without worry or maybe even a safe place to go ahead and worry. Be home to those who come into your life. Welcome them as family and friends; feed them as my Italian mother would, let them find shelter within the walls of your heart.

Hold each visitor, each guest in your life with compassion.  You don’t know the steps of their journey. What if this was their last step? Would you want that footfall to find a loving place to land and feel supported? What if it is your last step? Would you want it to be taken walking a path of compassion and love? Be home to all those who come into your life.

Be home to those who come into your life. Not be a home, but be home. Be the energy of home. A safe place of comfort, a place where you are known and loved. A place to which you can always return, a place of origin. Be heaven to all who come into your life. Welcome them within the walls of your heart, the sanctuary of your heart.

Sanctuary

Throw wide the doors and windows. Let the light and love within shine forth without restraint. Let the light within outshine even the sun. Scrub down the walls and floors. Cushion the seats and make ready the wine and food. Then welcome all into the sanctuary. Let them feel safe and warm. Let them feel comforted and loved. Let them feel they are known and honored there. Let them feel the returning to home where they are always welcome. Let them walk without hesitation within the sanctuary of your heart.

Sanctuary

Let my heart be a sanctuary.

Let all feel safe within its walls.

Let each feel welcome there as if returning home.

Let each feel loved and known,

comforted and seen.

Let all find peace and abiding joy,

a well of love unending.

Let all touch heaven within the sanctuary of my heart.