As I recognize my late-sixties aging process, I am listening to what might be my emerging focus in the world as my capacities for travel, long periods of facilitating and sustained hours of work are noticeably diminishing. Today I came upon this
quote from Henri Nouwen and the spark took on a sharper focus and these words resonate with my emerging soul:
We cannot change the world by a new plan,
project or idea. We cannot even change
other people by our
convictions, stories,
advice and proposals, but
we can offer a space where people are encouraged
to disarm themselves, lay aside their
occupations and preoccupations and listen
with
attention and care to the voices
speaking in their own center.
This is the soul work drawing me now, and I lean toward it even as I move towards a sabbatical time which will allow me to listen even more deeply.