Surround (Lent #32)

Surround…to embrace, to enfold, to engulf.

I was surrounded in Russia (sorry, this is another “I was surprised by love” post).

By surrounded I mean embraced by child after child in the orphanage we visited.  One child in particular I found to be extraordinarily gifted at surrounding me.

And I liked it.

I liked him snuggling up to me as we watched a movie.  I liked him jumping on my back.  I liked him flinging his arms around my neck just about every time I saw him.

And I did my best to surround him as well.  To let him feel some love.  To spend a short time soaking up the care of a guy that didn’t have anything but his heart to offer.  So we played and wrestled and cuddled and surrounded each other.

Funny thing about surrounding and being surrounded this way, the more you do it the more you want to do it.  The more you pour yourself out, the more you find you have to pour out.

If you’ve never been surrounded by love, I pray you are about to experience the greatest joy of your life. On the other hand, if you have been and/or are surrounded now, I pray you recognize the gift of these moments.  I pray you seek to surround others.

It starts by deciding to be vulnerable, by deciding to share yourself with another.  It grows when we agree to spend time with another.  It is celebrated when we find excuses to give and love and play with another.

You don’t have to find a Russian orphan…you can start with your own kids, with a family member, with a good friend.  Surround them in every possible way.  Hug them and speak kindly to them.  Give yourself away loving them.  And enjoy the feeling of having yourself surrounded in return.  Let me tell you, it feels nice.

Life is better together,
Shawn