Hi Summer, what a great sermon! A mantra that I use in my practice is “May I live each moment in loving kindness, remembering that we are all one.” It helps me to remember to try to reach out. Even if it’s just starting a conversation, making small talk on the train to work. Getting out of my own introverted head and being open to others’ feelings and words is part of my daily practice.

I recently moved to an urban area. I’ve lived and worked most of my life in white, middle-class suburbs; now I mix daily with a diverse population, which I’m enjoying, but In the city, you see it all, and every day — occasional violence spilling into the street, desperate people begging for money, the mentally ill. So far, I can’t look them in the eye. That feels like a moral failing somehow, like I’m not acknowledging their humanity. I keep trying.

Thank you, Summer. Thank you again this morning! This sermon really struck me. I’m a pelvic physio (women who bleed) and worked in PNG (with lepers). I hear/heard those stories of exclusion. I hear from elder women/widows at their physio appointment that they miss touch, miss it deeply! I also notice, in myself, a recalcitrant avoidance of a person (non-specific, but often loud extroverted people) at times…..thank you for heightening my awareness.

This was very meaningful to me, in the middle of a week when I’ve been particularly down on myself. That sentence your friend offered, “You can’t speak to my friend that way” cut straight to my heart. I’ve felt the same way about other friends who speak so badly about themselves… but had never redirected that statement toward my own shadow voice.

These sermons are a balm and a blessing. Thank you so much, dear one.