(no subject)
Last night, I was overwhelmed with emotion by the scene of the 33 miners being rescued from their 70 days of exile in the belly of that mine. The scenes portrayed on the news of these brave, selfless souls being reunited with wives, parents, and children, was a sight that evoked so many feelings...
...Gratitude for the human capacity to problem-solve, to stay strong and resilient in impossible situations, to band together and accomplish an incredible feat, to have faith in each other and in the presence of God in our depths of despair.
...Humility in reflecting on my own tendency to overreact, to run away, to give up when situations in life seem difficult. What a witness these men have given to me of digging deep within myself, living into the faith that I proclaim, reaching out to the community of people who I love and trust, and using that strength to rise above.
...Overwhelming imagery of rising from the dead, moving mountains, the presence of God in our depths and despair, the value of family and loved ones no matter what the circumstances.
...I was most touched by watching the first movements of each miner as he was released from the Phoenix. One man fell to his knees to say a prayer of thanks before anything else. One father hugged his wife, his mother, and his crying daughter whose only words were "VAMOS"--"Let's go!"--like she wanted to hold on to her papi and get her whole family as far away from that mountain as possible. Watching the leader of the team jump out of the capsule with joy and say to the president of Chile, "My shift is over!" and then lead his coworkers in a song of pride for their work, their country, their community.
The whole scene brought back this visceral memory of the really great moments in my life in Central America and what my neighbors and family there have taught me about community, faith, priorities in life. Sitting with my husband, daughter, and baby-to-be and watching these scenes was simply precious--an intersection with our present reality and the past that has brought us to this place. Thank you, God, for your presence in every day, and for the chances when I am able to catch a glimpse.
...Gratitude for the human capacity to problem-solve, to stay strong and resilient in impossible situations, to band together and accomplish an incredible feat, to have faith in each other and in the presence of God in our depths of despair.
...Humility in reflecting on my own tendency to overreact, to run away, to give up when situations in life seem difficult. What a witness these men have given to me of digging deep within myself, living into the faith that I proclaim, reaching out to the community of people who I love and trust, and using that strength to rise above.
...Overwhelming imagery of rising from the dead, moving mountains, the presence of God in our depths and despair, the value of family and loved ones no matter what the circumstances.
...I was most touched by watching the first movements of each miner as he was released from the Phoenix. One man fell to his knees to say a prayer of thanks before anything else. One father hugged his wife, his mother, and his crying daughter whose only words were "VAMOS"--"Let's go!"--like she wanted to hold on to her papi and get her whole family as far away from that mountain as possible. Watching the leader of the team jump out of the capsule with joy and say to the president of Chile, "My shift is over!" and then lead his coworkers in a song of pride for their work, their country, their community.
The whole scene brought back this visceral memory of the really great moments in my life in Central America and what my neighbors and family there have taught me about community, faith, priorities in life. Sitting with my husband, daughter, and baby-to-be and watching these scenes was simply precious--an intersection with our present reality and the past that has brought us to this place. Thank you, God, for your presence in every day, and for the chances when I am able to catch a glimpse.