Connected

 In my cold, uninviting basement, as my legs took me nowhere, spinning like a hamster on a wheel, my mind went to deep places only found by listening to that still small voice. Perhaps it’s the exercise induced euphoria that keeps me lacing up my running shoes day after day like a junkie looking for the next fix. Perhaps it’s the broken sleep schedule I’ve kept this week due to Andy working into the wee hours of the morning.  Perhaps it’s the semi-state of panic that grips people before a big storm as though the end is truly near.  Perhaps it’s the conversation with friends about death. Perhaps it’s the uptick in politically motivated Facebook posts lately.

 Perhaps it’s my own consciousness of how closely each of us is linked to one another. Within a six-week time frame our small, relatively safe community endured two police action shootings. Besides being the wife of an officer, I realized I was connected to every one of the people involved in some way.  I went to school with one of the officers who had to make a split second decision, with one victim and with one perpetrator. The cousin of the other perpetrator is a close friend and school mate as well.  The wife of the other officer who had to make a split second decision was a nurse at the hospital when my boys were born. She was one of the first people to hold my babies in her arms. Her father used to babysit Andy when he was a boy.  Connected indeed. 

As all these thoughts were swirling in my head to the steady beat of my feet and the music in my ears, a striking visual came to my mind.  As Back in Black blared in the background, I suddenly saw Jesus walking down the hall of a school, down a dark alley, into a rough roadhouse bar with this song, written by Aussie party boys, as his anthem. He was not the Jesus pictured knocking on a door or holding children in his lap.  He was dressed in jeans and a black leather jacket with his long hair flowing behind him, a look of confidence and compassion on his bearded face. He was in all these places filled with brokenness.

As this image left my mind I was reminded that we are all broken and in need of a savior. I was reminded that no matter what choices we’ve made, we are all offered forgiveness.  All we need to do is ask. I was also reminded that our job in this world is to help one another. Period. Our willingness to go out into the dark to bring in the light must not be deterred by the things that divide us.  We are connected by our Creator. We are connected by our community. We are connected by compassion. How will you connect today?