Heart Power

Do a Lucinda

There is great heart in this world.

In September 2005, thousands of members of our human tribe were devastated. They lived in the lower ninth ward of New Orleans. Soon after, I found myself volunteering in a relief shelter serving food to these homeless Hurricane Katrina survivors who had been bussed 500 miles to Ft Worth, Texas

There was one particular woman I’ll never forget. Her name was Lucinda. She had become separated from her three children in the chaos of the hurricane’s aftermath. She didn’t know where they had been taken. Nothing was left. All things of her former life were left to rot in the storm waters. With nothing and no place to go, she was put on a bus bound for Texas. For the week or so that I served meals, each time I served Lucinda she would always show a caring smile and say, “Thank you. You’re beautiful.

Eventually one day I went and sat next to Lucinda in the shelter dining area and she told me her story. Diabetic and heavily overweight, she openly shared about scraping a life together as a single mom of three children. Then came the retelling of the terror and hurricane force winds and rising waters in her home and the frightening separation from her children who had been staying at a friends when the hurricane hit. She then did a graceful pirouette and asked me about my life and if I was happy. She was genuinely asking me, this guy she just met who was well cared for, how I was doing?! Oh my! When I got up to leave, once again came the words, “Thank you. You’re beautiful.

I don’t know what eventually happened to her or her children. Tears well up every time I remember Lucinda’s beautiful Spirit. Even in the midst of devastation, the Spirit within certain souls is astonishing. May this Spirit rise in powerful and truly helpful ways for anyone among us who is experiencing great loss.

The next time someone helps you or serves you, rather than taking that overture for granted, do a Lucinda, and say, “Thank you. You’re beautiful.” Or, simply do a Lucinda for no cause other than making a contribution to the greater good for all. Thank you. You’re beautiful...

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Great Cathedrals

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. Gen. 1:31

One of the great cathedrals of the world stands on a hill in Chartres, France. Having visited this holy site, I can attest to the following words from Amberly Polidor: “People come for inspiration, beauty, God, or all three...The design of the cathedral involved sacred geometry, the use of numbers, angles, and shapes that mirror the principles the faithful believe God used in creating the universe.” This great cathedral stands on a spot that for millennia has been considered sacred...pilgrims have traveled to this place since before the time of Jesus.

A long-time friend recently reminded me of walks I used to take with her through Escalante Canyon in western Colorado especially in the spring when wildflowers were blooming amidst the ancient petroglyphs, giant red rocks and vast blue sky. Everywhere you looked there was evidence of sacred geometry like the hands of a great potter had mastered the art of rock creation. Yes, this was and still is a cathedral, a holy place. I could feel God there just as I'm sure the ancient petroglyph artists had experienced 15 centuries ago.

The first time I walked the McKenzie River Trail near Eugene, Oregon was breathtaking. Giant fir and hemlock trees breathed their way into my being as the waters of the river echoed their healing presence all around me. This too is a cathedral. Admiring the great trees standing still and silent amidst the ever present flow of hydro power is a divinely healing contrast.

Each one of us is a cathedral. The root of the word cathedral means “seat.” In the medieval Catholic church a cathedral was where there was a throne or seat of a bishop...someone who was deemed to have power and be nearer to God.

These many hundreds of years later, we realize that the seat of God lies in everyone, the cathedral of soul and body. Once discovered, it is awe-inspiring. Yes, each of us is the embodiment of sacred geometry and the numbers, angles and shapes that mirror the creation of the universe. Appreciate and be in awe of the wonder that you are. You have been billions of years in the making.