Exploring the WIlderness

Back a few years ago, 2009 I think, I was leading the senior high youth group for my church. It was a splendid year! A learning year. The teens from St. Paul's might have been best described as holy instigators! They knew how to build community. It was simple: invitation.

There were six to eight parish teens who went to the local high school, walking distance from the church. They invited their friends, who invited their friends. Then soon, on a Friday night, we would have 50 teenagers, laughing, talking, sharing and growing roots in the church. I was inspired by the community they established,
beyond school, outside of a home hangout. . .it had a different feel. It felt to me like the essence of evangelism. I wanted more for them. How could I be a good steward of this energy? I prayed for answers. I got more questions (grin). By spring, I thought, we could rock something really fun - and really purposeful. I tossed ideas around with the Holy Instigators. . .and Voila! 40 Love was born.

The concept was centered around the 40 days and 40 nights of Lent. It was created with the idea that time, care, compassion, kindness - each of these things bring Holy presence to a broken world. Might it be possible to plan 40 acts of kindness, assembling teams of youth that could implement  them in the community? Yes, it was possible! House of Bread (serving meals to those in need), Big Brothers Big Sisters, Humane Society, St. Vincent's, Red Cross, Easter egg hunts, literacy programs, after-achool tutoring, etc. We dove in! We took photographs, we shot video - we even shared videos with other churches in the Diocese. (I thank Richelle Thompson for this idea.) This compassion thing was real. It was possible. It was normal. It was formative.

At the same time, I was working with a teen women's rehab program in Portsmouth, OH. These young women were in a six month, court-ordered, residential program for drug/alcohol addiction. My drama work with them was part of their treatment plan. (I was so fortunate that Ohio Arts Council matched me with this opportunity.) Using mask, story and improvisation strategies, these girls charted new territory on a trek within themselves. They took time, care compassion and kindness inward: a  remarkable journey of self-discovery. It was because of their willingness to "play," to explore, to trust, that they accomplished! Each one of them, Holy Instigators! Self compassion is a deep, dark business in the wilderness. It was totally inspiring to watch each one of them become map-makers, They were finding their own ways home. It was humbling to be a part of it, life changing and instructive to all of our inner gold miners: map followers to the Treasure.

(SIDE NOTE: the impact of the arts on the human process is profound.)

 My take-away from that powerful Lenten season:

* Time, care, compassion, kindness - these are all aspects of Love
* Inward or outward, this multifaceted Love transforms people
* Love lived out in deeds transcends all differences within the human family (socioeconomic, environment, ethnicity, back stories, social adaptations, etc)
* A calling was revealed. Now - how to use it.

A new leg of the Jean journey began. That summer, I was fortunate to do a teaching artist workshop, a week at Lincoln Center Institute in New York with the International Educator's Conference, studying the capacity for imagination. The lead artists were extraordinary, as was the wealth of teachers that gathered to share ideas. It was church of a different kind. While it was all familiar content, something new was going on. I felt like"Walking Pentecost," like the Holy Spirit had me by the arm, swinging me around, shaking the fears out of me, infusing my faith with "truth serum." What was g o i n g ON! One of my partners during the week, beautiful visual artist from Puerto Rico, asked me if I was a reverend? "A priest,"  I said laughing. "Nope. Just a faithful one!" "Me, too," he chirped. This was a gift moment.

Even before that encounter, my self-attention was deeply reflective. As an extravert with a bunch of artists, I'm usually out the door with the crowd, on my way to food and libations - however, for this entire week, I walked from Lincoln Center to a neighborhood restaurant, took food to go, ate in Central Park and went back to my room to journal! This was some sort of Holy Enchantment! I went with it.

 For the next couple years,  my life was in a strangely purposeful loop-the-loop! While I felt like I was in charge, of course I wasn't. God knew what God was doing, even if I didn't. I actually looked at priesthood as an option. (The Episcopal church rocks.) My journey took me down the pike a ways before I put on the breaks. (That's for another blog post.) After some 15 years of free-lance work in drama education, I started to phase it out. I worked briefly for a senior living establishment (didn't like the way folks were treated and left), I took a position with an inner city community center, learning volumes about my own short comings and strengths, and I fell into contact with Karen Armstrong's work with the Charter for Compassion. (I'll thank my friend Jojo for that.) "THAT'S IT," shouted my inner voice, like Lucy's declaration that threw Linus into a flip (thanks to Charles Schultz for the wisdom of Peanuts.) As that epiphany took shape, a wonderful job opened up with an arts organization in Dayton, a great fit for my passions. Culture builds community: its in my blood.

SIDE NOTE: my second child had graduated from high school; both kids were in college. Wow, really? My schedule had just opened up. Yes, Jean, I'll pencil you in. (grin)

This is when The Compassionary really began, under more of a  personal-mandate-title, The Compassioning Project. I named it, claimed it and got to work. A year later, as of January 1, 2013, this blog launched a personal initiative gone public, a culmination of several years in monastic sensibility, bringing my passions for education, arts and the mystery of faith together. This blog is a conversation. YOUR voice is welcome. If you would like to share your experiences of compassion, send a post to the blog email: thecompassionary@gmail.com. Send a breif bio and your picture as well.  In the days to come, the Compassionary community will begin plans to take actions out into our communities. Let the Holy Instigation begin with you! 

Whatever wilderness you explore, Love is what matters!

SIDE NOTE: I could not be more grateful for the many lessons learned: for the Profits who shared experience, for the Seekers who allowed my presence, for the Questioners, the Wanderers, the Fast Trackers and the Slow and Steady; for the Holy Instigators. For my family, in all its forms - thanks.

  

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