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Widening one's embrace

Posted October 18th, 2008 by Linda Hollier

I have just finished reading “Playing the Enemy” by John Carlin and have been thinking about one of the phrases used by the author to describe Nelson Mandela’s achievements – “he widened and widened his embrace”.

A similar phrase, "Widening the circle of love" is the title of a book by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Phrases such as these speak of an ability to take multiple perspectives, a readiness to meet people where they are, and a deep concern for the welfare of all.

With an uncanny ability to speak to the hearts and not the brains of fellow human beings, Nelson Mandela is a living example of someone who chose to love when he could have chosen to hate, who showed forgiveness and offered reconciliation when he could have opted for revenge.  He clearly understood the words spoken by the comic strip character, Pogo: “We have met the enemy and he is us”.

I was recently privileged to be present at the unveiling of a statue of him at the prison from which he was finally released.  In his presence one is immediately struck by an aura of goodness and cannot but be touched by it.

As the statue was unveiled there was the most incredible downpour of rain in that instant.  I had the overwhelming feeling of witnessing a very special event.  It was as if all of nature was applauding and approving.  Was this evidence that even the cosmos had been included in his embrace?  I had heard once before that such rain is a sign of a blessing according to African custom but the actual experience of it was beyond words.

How far can this embrace extend? I believe that more and more of the Kosmos is enfolded in this embrace until eventually the distinction between the Witness and what is being witnessed disappears.

And then there is only love.

 

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Thank you

Posted October 18th, 2008 by Daniel Little

 Thank you Linda for letting me participate with you in that embrace. I feel the magic of the rain, and the inspiration of role models who strive to embrace all in an ever widening circle of love. I'm working currently to more fully embrace my life, and so it feels like this holding, growing, hug of life is working on all sorts of levels. I'm really wondering lately what is reconciliation? even in my life, how do I reconcile the various parts of me flying off in different directions or expressing different needs. how do I reconcile the pain of life, the big wounds that are too much to bear, and yet we must, to move forward. Thanks for the exploration.