In the quiet of the morning my mind wanders as I reflect on the nursery mural on my office wall and I imagine what our community can become with building blocks and love.
On the wall in my office is a mural, left there from the days when this room was home to the nursery.
One side hosts a dog in a striped shirt, smiling from ear to ear, playing with building blocks. As I stare at this from my spot behind the computer, I find my mind wandering and wondering about the building blocks of community. To make any structure stand there must be a firm foundation and from there, it can take many different shapes and become any size. The blocks on the wall before me are a variety of shapes and sizes and the dog’s hand is placing yet another block in the structure.
Our community is made up of the same. We all have our own unique shape and bring a variety of strengths and weakness and when pieced together we become something amazing. With each new block we take on a new form and branch out in new directions.
On the other side of the wall is another dog, sitting in a chair and lovingly holding a teddy bear. A sign of comfort, safety, love, belonging, acceptance and so much more. Again, I think about community and how this should also be what is reflected among us as we live and work and play.
What Our Community Can Become with Building Blocks and Love
In the quiet of this moment,
with building blocks before me
I imagine what we might become.
A place where questions are encouraged
where doubts are held
where every voice is heard
where differences are celebrated.
where we are excited by possibilities
and energized by creativity
where every person is empowered to be
who they are called to be
In the quiet of this moment
with the image of love before me
I imagine what we might become.
A place of comfort for the grieving
of welcome to the stranger
of hope to the hopeless
of home to the homeless.
A place where laughter is shared
and love is lived.
My prayer for us is that we will continue to grow and become, creating a space that is marked by love.
Blessings
Valerie
© 2020 Rev. Valerie Peyton Kingsbury. All rights reserved