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Dear TSJ Friends,
Today I am indulging a fantasy. What if we were given a choice to be a certain body part in order to create a whole human being? 
What part would you choose to be? For example, would you be an elbow or a mouth? An ear? Why?
Sometimes my old brain does funny things such as musing about common topics in odd ways. I know. I recognize it in myself. I hope it will at least amuse you a little and perhaps bring out the “muse” in amuse.
Let’s admit it, musing or pondering about things is what many of us do on the side. It is like our avocation in life!
Maybe it is a little like ordering a salad and asking the server for “the dressing on the side, please.” (I gives me an illusion of control over my calories.) Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes I just dip my fork in and sometimes I take a whole spoonful.
Well musings are a bit like that as I reflect on life’s many unsettling questions and challenges. Sometimes I dig deep and sometimes I just surf the waves of ideas..
Today’s musing is in between. I hope you find it light and still worth pondering.
The point of today’s musing is to briefly reflect about what it means to be human and embrace who we are. And about being united even as our body parts are – working together for the common good – rather than divided into disconnected parts in competition to be the greatest and best. We are inter-dependent vs. independent beings.
We tend to feel that if we are dependent we are not free. But in the end being free involves being inter-dependent with others as inter-dependence is built around being in relationship with God, the earth, ourselves and each other.
When I think about the late Mr. Rogers (of children’s TV fame) I am humbled by his strong awareness of children’s need for belonging and how they are part of a bigger world. And I believe that we adults, like children, need a sense of being accepted completely by someone special to us in order to realize our innate value.
My “would I be an elbow musing” is based on a similar desire to acknowledge and help both myself and others embrace a sense of belonging. In a real sense we are each others’ neighbors.
We all belong in different ways. And we don’t have to be rich, famous or successful as the world defines it.
Solomon recently reminded me St. Paul says in the scriptures that all parts of the body are needed and work together for the common good. This concept also includes the spiritual, physical, and intellectual gifts we bring to our world. We all are needed.
Still, why oh why do most of us have a tendency to want to be better, smarter, faster, funnier, more creative, successful, beautiful, attractive, spiritual, etc. etc. than others? It seems we long for recognition.
But have you noticed that feeling “less than” or “not good enough” does not help you? It usually just feeds anxiety a big dinner.
Why did I choose elbow to muse about?
Honestly, it struck me as an odd part to choose and made me chuckle. Who would want to be an elbow? Hmm. That really got me to musing about our judgments of ourselves. And humored me enough to have fun writing about it. And we need our elbows, although they don’t get much recognition!
Okay. Go ahead. Muse away. You can do this with any body part.
But Paul in I Corinthians 12 in the New Testament wrote to the church at Corinth about how important we all are and part of God’s creation.
” Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord, and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (4-7).
Wow. Let us use this as a powerful reminder to embrace who we are and what we offer one another. No matter how small or insignificant we judge our gifts to be.
Paul also offers a wonderful reminder that . . .
“If one member suffers all suffer with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.”
When you break your little toe your whole body reacts! I don’t recommend you do it.
It is also true about our actions. Have you ever violated a rule or law that you figured would only hurt you? The law of consequences says otherwise. Our actions affect others. Always.
WHAT IF?
So, rather than trying constantly to prove our worthiness and satisfy our desire to be special and sooth our fears of imperfection, maybe this week – whenever we privately start comparing ourselves to others – we might stop and ask ourselves –
“What if I lovingly accepted my role as an elbow or a toe and enjoyed it to the fullest realizing it is truly needed?” Or what if a dropped comparisons when they show up in my thinking?
And what if I remember too that . . . in the final analysis . . . .love is what matters most?
In time all our gifts – no matter what they may be – will fade away. The most valuable and lasting gifts to ourselves and others are faith and hope and love. (I Corinthians 13:13) And love never fades away.
Solomon says. It is quite simple …: “Accept and Love who you are and do the same for others”.
I might add . . .when you forget, remember we are inter-dependent beings so check in with a friend that will remind you of your gifts and encourage you. At TSJ we truly are each others’ neighbors.
Margie
