Vulnerability

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Frank Firmat shared one of his own writings at our St. Ignatius workshop, last December:

We can’t be filled with peace
while full of ourselves!
We first need to be squeezed, as a dishrag,
with the excess removed until we
are light and right and usable,
set free to find the humblest place,
vulnerable and small,
the place of grace and life,
openness and presence;
emptied so we can be filled.

Frank added that our society teaches us: "don't feel your feelings"; but he feels quite the opposite! We need to "get out of our heads" and connect to our feelings to become more self aware and loving!
Another Frank-ism: "nothing changes if nothing changes."

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In 2013, Judge Andrew Guilford wrote a tribute about Frank, and noted that in Frank's office:

there is a wooden Tinkertoy piece, a wheel with holes around the circumference for spokes that can then connect to other parts. Frank explains that the holes in the wheel are like the wounds we all have. But our wounds, like the holes in the wheel, allow us to connect with others. 

Frank recommended that we watch a great YouTube TED talk (Click here) on the topic of vulnerability given by Brene  Brown. She is a research professor and storyteller, and has spent the last 2 decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame and empathy. In her own words from her website RESEARCHER. STORYTELLER. TEXAN.

The bottom line: I believe that you have to walk through vulnerability to get to courage, therefore . . . embrace the suck. I try to be grateful every day and my motto right now is “Courage over comfort.” I do NOT believe that cussing and praying are mutually exclusive. And, I absolutely believe that the passing lane is for passing only. 

It is amazing how this blog is intersecting... both Michelle Zive and Luke have sent praising comments about Brene Brown, in the last few days.

To end today's post...Dan and I received the best comments from Michelle Murphy and Steve Hauser. So glad that yesterday's story touched their hearts, as much as mine.
Steve wrote us in an email:

What a lovely story of Laura’s determination and recovery and Franks dealing with his “situation” as an 11 year old learning by loving and doing.  I suspect we all have these stories, some greater than others, as we have made our way through life.
CONGRATULATIONS to both Frank and Laura. I love the fact that Laura discovered who she really was, perhaps by overcoming her injuries. Living with a little pain after you have discovered your true meaning seems, to me, like a reasonable price to pay.
Years ago I had a thought … I have no idea how it popped into my head, but I have used it all these years.  A very simple statement:  “You always do what you want to do.” It has worked very well for me for a long time.
When I first mentioned these words at a party years ago people told me … no way … then … as we talked it out most agreed.  Laura’s discovery as to what she was now able to achieve is as powerful and Frank’s discovery on top of that slide as to who he was. 

LYM,
Reenie