Just Show Up
“Sometimes the most bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up”
Brene Brown
Just show up. Those words have come out my mouth once or twice as I have shared with people about what it means to be at Hope Street. What it means to lay down expectations and simply just take the first step of showing up. Once you show up, try your best to consistently do so - whatever that looks like (once a week, once a month, once a quarter etc). Showing up speaks volumes.
Well it has taken everything in me to just show up lately in nearly every area of my life. It feels like a chore. It feels like one more thing that is going to suck any amount of life I have left in me. Showing up - includes people, and I don’t have much space left for people. Yup, that’s the truth. As I sat and recently watched a talk by Brene Brown on Netflix (highly recommend it), I laughed, cried, rolled my eyes, disengaged and re-engaged quite a few times. When I finished watching I realized - I don’t have much left because the toll of being vulnerable has caught up to me. Leaning in, sharing space with others, hearing stories, trying and failing. It’s scary - because chances are your heart will break. Mine is still broken.
So for now, much of my energy is spent on just showing up. Often I am surprised by what happens when I do. Other times, nothing miraculous happens, but I am where I am expected to be and I am told that speaks volumes to those I am in close proximity to.
Father, you created us to be in close proximity to others. To share our lives, the ups and the downs and every in between - sometimes that is really hard. Would you please give us the courage to continue to show up? May it be no more complicated than simply being. I trust and know that you bind up the brokenhearted - so I will just wait patiently and expectantly.
Amen, Ashley
