Lonely Burdens

Someone just wrote something to me on face book
that has me seriously shook up. In a good way.

It reminds me of how I felt when I was apologizing
to Lindsay for not being a better mentor.

She replied, "I am more interested in your failures
than in your perfections because I want to see how you
get up in the morning after you fail."

I was driving when she said that
and nearly had to pull of the road
because it was one of those defining moments
in my life.

And now I've experienced another defining moment.

A defining moment changes how you look at things.

Earlier, I wrote a blog called 'More on Community.
Michelle, who I quoted in that writing,
shared the following words with me this evening.

She didn't copy them from somewhere.

They came from within her as she thought about
community and our fears of being vulnerable.

She was contemplating also, the verse that says,
"Bear one another's burdens and
fulfill the law of Christ."

She said,

"I'm not afraid of your burdens,

your imperfections, or weaknesses.

I'm afraid I won't be allowed

to bear them with you.

Then I bear them alone too.

Because they are still

on my heart."

I don't know what else to say.

Her thought is complete without
any need to explain it
and I am thankful for its meaning
and the sincere loyalty from her heart.

I am thankful, also, for the freedom to trust her
to help carry my load.