“The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.” – Maya Angelou (1928 – 2014) U.S. poet laureate
Where have you felt at home lately, and felt spiritually recharged, whether in a meeting or someplace else that warms your heart?
Maya Angelou Brief Bio (4:17)
Coming Home Diddy feat. Skylar Grey (3:55)
Karunesh – Coming Home Meditation (6:28)
A home in The Sky
an African folk tale –
Once upon a time there lived a poor man, Abhilas by name. He was clever and often made jokes at rich people and even at the chief. So they did not like him and wanted to kill him. Once the chief sent for Abhilas and he came to the chief’s house.
“I hear that you are very clever, Abhilas! Can you build me a house in the sky in three days? You may have as many men as you need. If you can’t do that my soldiers will kill you.”
“I shall build it, my Chief,” said Abhilas and went home.
He began to think. Then he made a kite and tied a bell and a long sting to it. When the wind blew, the kite rose high up in the air.
But it did not fly far, because Abhilas tied the string to a tree. The next day all the people of the town heard the bell and saw a dark spot in the sky. The chief saw the spot, too. Abhilas came up to the chief and said” oh, my Chief, the house in the sky will soon be ready. Do you hear the bell? The workers are ringing the bell from the sky. They need some boards for the roof of the house. Please tell your soldiers to climb up to the sky with the boards.”
“But how will my soldiers climb up to the sky?” asked the chief.
“Oh, there is a way up,” said Abhilas.
,,,
So the chief ordered his soldiers to get some boards and to follow Abhilas. They came to the tree and saw the string there. “This is the way to the sky,” Abhilas said. “Climb up the string and you will come to the sky.”
The soldiers tried to climb up the string, but could not do that. “Try again, try again! Our Chief will be very angry if you don’t carry the boards up to his house in the sky!” said Abhilas.
Then the soldiers went to the chief and said, “Oh, Chief, no man can climb up to the sky!”
The chief thought a little and said, “That’s right. Nobody can do that.”
Then Abhilas said to the chief, “Oh, my Chief, if you know that, why do you ask me to build you a house in the sky?”
And the chief could give no answer to that. Abhilas went to the tree, cut the string and took away the kite.
Just having someone remember my name is enough sometimes. I also like seeing the same faces each week. It gives me a sense of community. It’s also nice when I have events going on in my life and people will remember and ask how thats going. Or I as them the same.
I was sitting in a participation meeting the other night and nobody wanted to share. So I shared. A guy sitting next to me who has a lot more time than me appeared to not like what I shared. After I shared, he leaned over to me and said “Why don’t you come to this meeting more often…you always have something good to share.” That made me feel at home and showed me that I really do not know what others are thinking.
Thank you for this common place to come and share in…share in sorrow, share in doubt, share in hope and share in love. I know my mother who transitioned three years aqo is welcoming her newest little visitors today, making sure they have a warm place to sleep, a cup of cocoa, and a bedtime story. I know they are received with love.
Home is not always a physical place; it is the urge and craving in us to belong. I need to know my tribe; I need to know that they are there. And in return, I must also let you know that this a safe place to which we both can return.
Home is where when you have to go, they have to take you back.