What Defines Me? Richard Rohr

This really spoke to me, so I wanted to share....for all of us who struggle with Loneliness...


A CHANGE OF HEART

Question of the Day:
What defines me?

Do you know what the answer for deep loneliness is? Solitude! No one would have ever imagined it, but I promise you it is true.

In solitude, we are able to let Reality/God define us from the inside out. We stop looking outside of ourselves for diversions, entertainment, or real satisfaction. It is the birth of the soul. When we keep looking outside of ourselves, we always and forever need another and then another diversion.

In solitude we slowly learn to live face to face with a Presence that asks nothing of us but presence in return (see I Corinthians 13:12 (JB)). It is too good to be true. This is the birth of the soul.

If we’ve never lived in the realm of pure presence without any need for achieving and performing, we don’t know how to breathe there at first. It is like living on a different planet. But eventually, we allow ourselves to be defined by relationship itself instead of by the good or bad—or even the holy—things we’ve done. And now it is relationship with everything, the rocks at our feet, the air that we breathe consciously, the little animals and birds, the God who is now obvious and praiseworthy in all things. Solitude, ironically and surprisingly, can connect us to everything else. Who would have thought?

~ Richard Rohr
February 2010
(Written in hermitage)