Jumble Soup
What a mixed-up plethora of situations, places, people, worries, heartaches, circumstances, celebrations, and joys that life brings our way! What’s more, they can all show up in close proximity or at the same time! It is challenging to roll along with the waves of time and all it brings. How can we describe this unpredictable flow? Crazy? Unsettling? Unmoored? Mercurial? It’s good and it’s hard—all mixed up together. Let’s call it Jumble Soup—exactly what it is.
Recently we traveled to a family wedding, where our grown kids and my husband’s entire family were present, with the exception of three whom we missed. But the sweetness of shared laughter, great food, spirits of celebration, hugs, centered on celebrating young love—wrapped up together was such a gift. At the same time, we were all processing the continuing changes in the health and life of my mother-in-law. A precious woman who deserves only goodness, has slowly lost her memory and ability to function on her own, as she has mentally regressed into the young years of her life as her primary focus. With her recent cancer treatments, along with aging at ninety-three, she is now a featherweight with very little hair. That would be enough to process in the midst of a joyous occasion. But before the weekend was over, she had additional, significant health episodes that were traumatic. It was a weekend of so many varied emotions, highs and lows, sadness, contentment, and joy. How are we to show up into these spaces and relationships with our full presence, living into all that comes?
Having lunch with a friend, after returning to Richmond, she relayed her recent accounts of caring for her aging mother from halfway across the country, of work concerns and hopes, of the complications of navigating her life of joys and celebrations mixed-up with responsibility, frustration, and hardship. And there it was in the middle of our conversation, the stark truth—every person is immersed in the life pot of Jumble Soup.
We all live in the midst of the unknown, unpredictable, meaning-filled, precious experiences of life. We are all bearing the weights of hardship, triumphs of victories, griefs for our losses, and joys for every goodness. While we live in a culture that insists we can control everything, we know better from experience. So, how do we show up into all that is reality?
With a sense of awe and wonder. Let’s start there. The fact that we are alive on this spinning planet in the middle of space, with a livable environment, surrounded by beauty, with opportunities to live and love is enough to invite reverence. Easy, it is not. But, holy gift, it is.
With grace. For ourselves and for others. Because we don’t know where anyone else is in the Jumble Soup. And we will need grace ourselves.
With our hearts and hands. We have the opportunity to be a blessing and resource for someone when they need it most. How can I lend a hand? How can you share your skills? How can we be open to offering ourselves? There is deep blessing in giving, even when it’s hard.
With wisdom. There is understanding that comes from living and seeing that in the midst of hardship there is goodness sprinkled in the mix. And with time, it becomes clear that after every darkness, a new day arrives bringing hope and opportunities.
With humility. Because some days we’re the giver and on others, we are in need. None of us has it all together all the time. Extending care to others as we would like to receive it is a good practice, because surely we will all be on the receiving end at some point.
May we offer ourselves as only we can, in giving and receiving, to make this Jumble Soup of life the best mix-up of ingredients possible.
