HEAL AND BE HEALED

Photo by pisauikan on Unsplash

On either side of the river was the tree of life … and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Revelation 22:2

When my husband and I were dating in college, his mother had an aloe vera plant in the kitchen. She taught me that you could break off a piece of the plant, and the liquid that emerged healed minor burns and sunburns. After we were married, we grew this healing aloe vera plant in our garden and used it our own household. We also taught our children how to use aloe vera to heal. It didn’t take all the hurt away, but it helped the healing process.

If only there was a plant or anything else that could heal us now from all the hurts we are experiencing. Sometimes the happenings in the world can make us feel helpless and hopeless. In a recent meditation the words “Heal and be healed” came to my mind as a mantra. The world is in need of so much healing right now. We need healing in our lives, our country, and our world. That’s why the image in Revelation of Jesus’ return and the tree of life with leaves for the healing of the nations is a powerful image. That’s when there will be no more tears. Until then we trust that God is with us and that we must never lose hope. At the same time, we know that hurt people hurt people. Most things are out of control. So what can we do?

Well, we can be mindful of our own actions. We can plant seeds of grace and peace growing trees of love in our circle of influence. We can teach others by our healing actions of listening and being there in moments of need. We can share healing where we can touch others with kindness. As we heal, we are healed.

On Sunday evening I came across a beautiful poem by poet and playwright, Nikita Gill, and I want to share it with you in a time such as this:

Things to look for when the world feels hopeless...

A burst of flowers on a summer day. A birdsong waking you up in the mornings.

Watching the clouds and pointing out how they resemble animals. Learning the names of each constellation in the night sky.

Meeting more dogs on their walks that run up to you to say hello. The days that the cat chooses you and curls up on your lap.

Walks in the woods after a storm. The rain giving you petrichor after a long dry week.

More cliffs and rivers to meet. More people to hug and know.

The astonishment waiting in all the small cracks of life where no one expected anything to grow. Your own wildflower heart that still longs to love this world and all that is in it. If nothing else plant a seed.

Stay to nourish it. Stay to watch the tree you nurtured grow.

~Nikita Gill