Dignity

Dignity hides in unexpected places.
Search amongst kings and princes,
Those applauded and famed,
But likely you will not find it there.
Rather-
Look deeper and further.
Watch faces and hands
Revealing the heart of those overlooked,
For dignity resides where you least expect it.
Look among the poor-
See not the whole but the part.
Look for one life and study it.
There she is now. Dignity moves.
Amongst the dust and dirt,
At home with the simple and content.
Head held high. Gaze fixed.
No jewels or finery wears she,
But adorned with true treasures found.
No look of condescension has she;
No thought to impress, thought that she does,
As she rises above circumstance and calamity
With such grace and composure.
No strain for beauty shows on her face;
No sign of struggle to do more
Than those tasks she does each day, every day,
And every day of every year.
At peace with who and where she is
She becomes Dignity herself,
As she carries the weight of her world on the shoulders
So gracefully.

This Burden Is Light

We all carry things, but some of them are heavy burdens. For some people it is the burden of a past they would rather not have had; for others it may the burden of failures and defeats, or bad choices and the shame they carry; for yet others it may be the burden of painful loss and grief. These can be heavy burdens indeed, and for some , can weigh heavy in the present. These burdens must be rolled onto someone big enough to carry, strong enough to heal, and powerful enough to fill with hope. Unless we get to a place of letting go of such burdens, we fail to move foward, or if we do, we limp, and know we are not really free.

However- there are other 'burdens' some of us are asked to carry, that were never meant to be 'cast off', for they are ours to carry as precious cargo. For me, it is having a child with special needs. These are our burdens that no one else can truly help us carry, although the One who gives us the priviledge to, is there to help us when we are tired and afraid and weary. And these burdens, although heavy, are also strangely light. Ask us would we want to trade our precious burden, and we would not hesitiate to answer no! No, we would not trade for another, easier one. Our burden becomes a thing of joy and delight to us. Rather than hold us back, it propels us forward- to a softer, bigger, more compassionate heart. Rather than cause us to stand still or hold back, our burden causes us to shake off pretense and the need for perfection. Our burden teaches us to be real and honest and accepting of people with all their failings and foibles. Our burden bend us, even break us at times, but in doing so, makes us useful to touch the hearts of others because we are just that- broken. No, this burden is heavy- but not too heavy- with God's help This Burden is Light.