Just a little exercise from our writing group. We choose a word out of the hat, and all write for ten minutes, whatever comes to mind. The word was “grace” and this was on my mind.
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What the world needs now is grace, sweet grace.
No, not just for some, but for everyone …
Much more than love, we need grace. Especially now. All the decades of talking about love don’t seem to have gotten us anywhere.
Maybe stop with the love babble and try grace. You don’t even have to like someone to offer them grace, so it might be easier. Grace seems somehow connected not only to the person needing it, but also to the spirit of the person giving it.
What exactly is grace? Webster’s has quite a list of variations, some having to do with religion and God. But I prefer the basic definition at the top of Google’s list that comes from the Oxford dictionary: courteous goodwill.
In my mind, grace involves shutting your mouth once in a while, not being so hell bent on expressing your opinion and convincing others you know something they don’t. It means you listen more than you speak. It involves some degree of forgiveness, or at least acceptance. You don’t have to agree with others, just be willing to let them be who they are without criticism or scorn. Certainly, without hate.
To be graceful means moving with smooth flow, not upsetting the surroundings. You can be graceful in all environments, all weather. Why can’t we be graceful with each other, no matter our extremes and differences?
Grace. Courteous goodwill. What would the world be like if we all had a little more of it?
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