So...I met a new friend this week. I went for my run the other evening, and literally ran into Linda. I run at a gorgeous nature sanctuary near my house, and have seen Linda a few times. Linda is obviously special needs of some kind, and typically wears braces on her legs, but she is one determined lady. Linda can outrun me any day. And often laps me on the trails. She's an inspiration to me and motivation to keep going on this journey. My excuses are entirely invalid compared to any she might have. Like I was saying, I literally ran into her yesterday. I came around a blind curve and so did she at the exact moment, and she feel down. Of course I stopped and helped her up. I guided her to the nearest bench that was conveinantly placed thier for all the nature observers. At that moment I knew I was about to have a DIVINE ENCOUNTER. Those moments that you can't orchestrate, but God can, and does. I sat with Linda for sometime, and asked her if there was any way I could help her.
She said no, she just needed to catch her breath, and that she would be okay. We began to talk. She shared with me that she was training to run a 5k to raise money for Special Olympics. At first I misunderstood her and thought she was running a 5k IN THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS, but she rest assured me, she was just raising money for it. I asked her what inspired her to do that, and she said, "Because people need help, and I can help." I was simply blown away. How often does someone need help, and I can help, but I don't help? I am too busy and don't even bother to offer.
Linda shared with me her official diagnoises, and I honestly can't remember it. It doesn't matter to me, all that matters is she is a dear soul who is offering help to others around her. She asked me for my phone number so she could call me to "train" with me. I gave it to this beautiful soul and am looking forward to her phone call, or looking forward to running into her again.
Days later as I reflect on this encounter, and after several conversations about other labels we put on people, I am humbled. No doubt you have seen the 23 True Reasons I know I am an Introvert articles floating around. No doubt you have seen the Extroverts Revealed articles on FB. Step into any corporate setting and it's not long before you are asked to take a strengths finder test. Step into any interview and they ask: What are your top strenghts? What are your top weakness? As if two simple questions can sum up all your assets to the company. Walk around in the church world for long enough and surely you will be asked to take a spiritual gifts inventory. All tools to sum us up as a human being.
Linda is much much more then her diagnoises, just as I am much much more then any label that's placed on me. I've gotten some funny ones lately. Comments range from, "Oh you use essential oils, you must be one of those granola girls." "You actually ENJOY running? Like you actually ENJOY it...You must be a glutton for punishment." "You need down time, and alone time, are you one of those introverted hermit types?" And the list goes on and on. You know what bugs me about all the articles that describe labels? All the inventory tests? All the strengths lists? None of them sum up a person.
You can take my list of strengths: responsibility, intellection, administration. You can take my basic personality type: Introveret. You can take my temperment: Meloncholy Choleric You can take my spiritual gifts: Pastoral, Wisdom, Prophetic, Administration, & Discernment. You can take my INJT profile...and guess what NONE OF THEM SUM UP ME. You won't know the experiences I walk through. You won't know that despite being what most think of as an introvert, that I desperately need people. I need to talk out my thoughts, I need to feel validated, I need to connect. You don't know my deepest thoughts. You don't know my heart on a topic. You don't know that there are times, I am completely sanguine and extroverted. How dare you sum me up by those labels...
Better yet, how dare I sum you up by them either. You see, I am a little too quick to judge based on previous experiences. I am terrified of being hurt again by people that I tend to shy away, a lot. I can't for the life of me know if you cried when you watch Titanic or Step-Mom for the first time. I can't know if you find Friends just as funny as I do, or if you sit in church each Sunday wondering if it's all real. I don't know from looking at those labels or prejudgements if you've healed from those experiences, or if they have rolled off your back like water off a duck. I can't know the struggles you struggle with in silence and I certainly don't know your victories. And I am deeply affected by that. I am in awe of the thought that you are more then what you present.
Those labels leave no room for love to move. They leave no room for the Holy Spirit to be. I may not feel like sitting and chatting with the Linda's in my life, but you know what...because of love, I will. And I am better for it. I may not feel like forgiving an individual for thier actions, but you know what, because of pure love, I will. When we get beyond labels, we can truly love. And the greatest commandment is to love. Simply love. Love God with your whole heart and soul, and love people as yourself. Love sums up the whole gospel. I like that.
I knew this health and wellness journey would open up a whole new world to me. I just didn't expect it to be so spiritual. I didn't expect to meet a Linda. And I certainly didn't expect to abhor labels. I thought labels on food items where a good thing. Something that points out the ingredients, and let's you know what you're putting in your body. As I travel along, I am learning food that has labels, is not something I want. I want fresh, natural, unlabeled food. Food that is pure and natural. Food that good intended to bring nurioushment and health to me. Food that in it's purest form is edible without processing. Carrots don't need a label to be sold. An apple doesn't need a label to be eaten.
I want my food the same way I want my relationships. Free from labels. Free from definitions. Freedom to simply be the way God intended for you to be, and free to simply be the way God intended me to be.
Father God, I come to you in the form of my truest self. I give you my heart. The good, the bad, the shameful things, the broken things, the beauty only you see. And Father, I ask for a freedom in my life to be. I ask for a freedom in my life to love others. To see them as they truly are, the way you intended for them to be. Free from pressures that are trying to process them into the people the world wants to make them, and not who you intended them to be.God move. Help my heart to be unhindered.
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