Bridges

Compassion means to build a bridge to others without knowing whether they want to be reached.
-Henri Nouwen

It's amazing to me that humans ever get to know one another. Starting any relationship, any conversation, is a risk. The person sitting next to us could insult us; she could be an ax murderer; he could be your competition for a promotion; she could have a contagious illness; he might be an auditor for the IRS on his way to ruin your best friend's life; or he or she could become your best friend.

I'm sure many of us have been assaulted with that trite statement, "There are no strangers, only friends you haven't met yet." I don't know about that. I see huge leaps. Every person we encounter is a leap waiting to be taken. Do we go for it, extend our hand and greet the person? Or do we simply avoid eye contact and keep walking down the street?

Every greeting, every introduction, every new person we meet is an exercise in courage and compassion. We smile and give our best, a tiny part of us, to this stranger. They can accept or reject us, love us or hurt us, maybe both even. How is it, then, that we reach out? I hope for you that it is openly, courageously, lovingly, and, most of all, with grace.