In Other People’s Words

(Today is the feast of St. Augustine, these could be his words, but no. Holiness is the work of God.)

“My heart, my heart like a temple… coliseum-style, full of cats and to the delight of tourists, those here today and there tomorrow, with sandwiches and backpacks…”

(in my correspondence)

When we talk about the heart, we’re not just referring to feelings, but to the deepest center of a person. It’s where what I think, what I want, and what I feel come together. It’s in the heart where I find my strength and where I can open myself to love and encounter with others.

“The anthropology of the heart is also an anthropology of the gift”

The heart has longings that cannot be negotiated. Sometimes we understand them, other times they confuse us. It’s as if it speaks in a language of its own that even it can’t translate. These longings are so deeply embedded in us that we need to step back to understand them. And it doesn’t just happen to me, it happens to all of us just because we are human.

These desires, when properly satisfied, are what allow for personal growth and developing maturity. Without them, we cannot build a solid project. No one builds a house on sand; we need firm ground to grow and advance.

Security and self-esteem are constantly interrelated

When I discover my worth and know who I am, I can grow without betraying myself or others. That  confidence  is the driving force that propels me forward, even in the midst of difficulties.  Challenges  , then, are exciting to me.

Often, this  security  seeks outside the self-worth it lacks within. And we realize that the more emptiness there is, the more we need the approval of others. And so we lose our way, like a ship without a rudder or a helmsman.

Our fears paralyze us: fear of failure, of others’ judgment, of not being good enough. To defend ourselves, we put on masks, as if they could protect us. But these masks distance us from our truth, from knowledge, from our objective worth.

The real  challenge  is to face those fears head-on and discover that they are often just balloons filled with air. If we pop them, they stop suffocating us. What remains then is the strength of the values ​​that sustain us.

Building on rock means laying a solid foundation: knowing ourselves, accepting our fragility, and leaning on those who can help us. This way, we avoid false expectations that only generate frustration.

Security  is bolstered when I accept myself, my own unfolding process: my temporal equilibrium, my being ,  and my becoming. I have a purpose and I accept the “daily paving stones” of myself and others. This allows me to stop hiding, to stop blending into my surroundings. I can be myself, with authenticity and  without fear of differentiation.

Every person is unique, but that  uniqueness  is enriched when it is shared. Giving and receiving is a dance: it only makes sense if we respect each other’s rhythm without losing our own.

The important thing is to listen to what sings or groans within us. When we understand it, we can harmonize our voice with that of those who walk beside us.

It all comes down to something very concrete: living from the truth and beauty within each of us. Without comparisons, without competition, without judgment. Contributing, yielding, and conceding; knowing how to wait, walking alone and accompanying.

Cohesion  strengthens us. When we help others, when we make those who walk beside us shine, it is because we are bearers of light that illuminates, and shadow that fosters rest and fosters inner vision and humility .

“The heart is the energetic core of your life: it is where the force that unites what you think, what you want, and what you feel is concentrated. This hidden energy is capable of transforming your story if you transform it into love and dedication.”

I invite you to think

• Do I have friends who help me become a better person?
• Do I use my intelligence wisely?
• Do I know how to unite love with effort and pain?

Remember

“No wind is favorable to those who do not know where they are going” (Seneca)

Have a good trip!