An Inch At A Time

One of my regularly read blogs is that of the Rev. Susan Russell, from All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena. Her blog title, An Inch At A Time, comes from a quote of Sister Joan Chittister: “We are each called to go through life reclaiming the planet an inch at a time until the Garden of Eden grows green again.” It is, for me, a deeply profound reflection on the experience of life and our call from God. Baby steps. We don’t have to do everything at once. We’re just called to keep moving forward, even if only by inches.

Susan (I don’t know her personally but after reading her for so long, I find myself always thinking of her as just Susan) recently wrote about a license plate frame she saw on a car in front of her in traffic. It said, “You suck. And that’s sad.”

It is so easy to find our own self-worth in telling ourselves that we are better than others. Sometimes it is mean or cruel, as in the license plate frame. For the religious, it can often be a celebration of our own righteousness compared to the unrighteousness of others. We know this is wrong and that Jesus taught us the exact opposite, but the temptation is great. It’s an easy path to self-esteem but one that never ends in authenticity.

Too often I allow my feelings of anger, fear, jealousy, superiority, inferiority – the list is infinite – direct my interactions with other human beings, both friends and strangers. I want to be able to look at others and see them as children of God. I want to be able to truly respect the dignity of every human being regardless of my own psychological or emotional issues of the moment.

At this particular moment in my life I need to be able to love simply and without agenda. I need to be able to lay aside my issues and feelings and love without consideration. It is so hard.

-David