Vulnerable, Like a Bird
Life is precious. Not because it is unchangeable, like a diamond, but because it is vulnerable, like a little bird. To love life means to love its vulnerability, asking for care, attention, guidance, and support.
Life and death are connected by vulnerability. The newborn child and the dying elder both remind us of the preciousness of our lives.
Let’s not forget the preciousness and vulnerability of life during the times we are powerful, successful, and popular.
—Henri J. M. Nouwen,
Bread for the Journey
Henri Nouwen believed that vulnerability is a key part of love and compassion, and that it’s necessary to be vulnerable in order to connect with others. He believed that people can only be close to others when they are willing to be vulnerable themselves. It’s very likely his ministry at at L’Arche Daybreak, a community for people with intellectual disabilities, informed this conviction. Nouwen believed that people can be fruitful out of their vulnerability, not just their power. He believed that people can be more fruitful when they are willing to embrace their weaknesses and illnesses. Let us echo his meditation today, considering the ways in which we can, through vulnerability, better love and serve others in our unique settings. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics