Sometimes its just natural that our heart hardens in response to disappointment, abuse or being hurt, and other uncontrollable experiences life throws at us. Sometimes it is the right thing to do to be inwardly self protective but there can be other times when we deflect our hurt onto another and harden our hearts when it may be better for all of us to keep our hearts open, soft and pliable. I just came across this lovely piece of writing while reading Mark Nepo’s book :The One Life We’re Given : Finding the Wisdom That Waits in Your Heart.
We work very hard sometimes to convince ourselves that we are safe from the unpredictable nature of things. But we’re always reachable and shapable. It’s why we are here. Love makes us enter life and stop watching. Then the conversation with life really begins.
In her profound book Heart Gail Godwin tell us that the medieval Sufi philosopher Ibn al-Arabi thought of a loving heart as a heart of wax, because caring make the heart pliable and receptive. Just as wax can be imprinted with a seal, our softened heart is capable of taking wahter shape life imprints on it.
This makes great sense to me. I can feel the many imprints within me. We think we choose what we love but love chooses us and shapes us. And no amout of hiding or distraction can keep us from being touched by the wild and vital territory the lies between our birth and our death. …We’re never outside of life, but always in it.
Emerging From The Dark Night 