Recycle Your Heart
by
Debra Baer Becker
:
1/6/2010
Over the holidays, I toured the St. Louis City Museum, an urban masterpiece, a fun house-styled entertainment factory made out of an explosion of carefully choreographed, everyday urban throw-aways. My favorite creations are the beautifully patterned mosaic columns made out of broken mirrors and colorful glass. What once might have been an ornate looking glass is now an exhibited array of glittering collages. Experiencing this eclectic art influenced my thinking about things that are broken. A broken object isn’t necessarily an end, but possibly the catalyst for a new and different life, a new purpose, a fresh start.
Maybe for this new year, we need a new heart.
Every new year brings reflection and resolve. We can’t start over, but we can move forward, repurposing what we’ve got. Instead of resolutions, let’s recycle our hearts!
At a Macy’s store, in spite of the H1N1 virus, I spontaneously hugged an unsuspecting sales woman because she said,
“Your hair looks gorgeous; it’s so fashionable!” (I’ve been self-conscious of my new short do). I gave her a big squeeze! It was impulsive, but I followed my instinct and this little gesture launched at least 60 seconds of a sparkling “we are all one” moment! I felt instantly lighter and closer to my spirit.
I fed my heart.
Our hearts are hungry.
If only we were more spontaneous with each other every day! Imagine if we removed our filters and shared openly with the people in our lives. Even those difficult people (you know who they are!) might be more willing to seek closer relationships with us. They might start calling us “free spirits!” I can’t think of a better compliment (other than the one about my hair).
Can we become more human? Give that street person a dollar, if you can spare one, and enjoy much more than a dollar’s worth of good feelings in return.
Or maybe volunteering is more suited. 2010 just might be the year of the volunteer; it’s gaining momentum. Choose your cause, get passionate and get your hands dirty! It might help you get out of your own way and move forward. It might save you from feeling isolated.
Our hearts need hugs. For all of our technology, we 21st century gals are more disconnected in the world. We send texts instead of phone calls, e-mails instead of letters or cards. We’re missing the beautiful moments of each day because we’re preoccupied, usually with the palm held distraction device. Jobs, bills, the damned economy and the constant pursuit of stuff
- we need more face time, less multi-tasking and more time spent actively engaged with our family and friends.
I think we need more, not less, people in our lives. Who are the people in your heart? Is it possible to salvage relationships, can we break the old glass, that dysfunctional structure and turn a rocky relationship into a fresh mosaic?
I’m still learning lessons from my recent health crisis. I’m still the same me, but my perspective has changed. Living in the moment is easy to say, but much more difficult in practice. I’m realizing the importance of moments and aiming to make the most of them. I’ve learned who I can count on and just exactly how important my husband and kids are to me. I’m open to the great ocean of love that comes in waves from the floating seashell hearts of my family and friends.
We are all capable of greater love.
Start living out loud.
We must be willing to take more risks, be open, yes, to become even more vulnerable. Put your heart out there in the scary world. It will get scratched, scarred, and broken, but you can reclaim its beauty. Recycle it into an eclectic mixture of compassion and humor, courage and hope, a fragmented, shimmering full-spectrum loving, colorful mosaic, a heart that is both memorable and treasured.
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