This continues to be one of my favorite expressions of human connection.
“I want to hear you,
see what you see,
feel what you feel
I want to be heard.
Hear me as I hear you,
Listen, I’m listening to you.
So I will speak simply
with clear word windows
that let you see
all the way into where I live
laugh
and
cry.” (pg. 24)
Augsburger’s book Caring Enough to Confront was the third of my “sabbatical book list”. It’s an older book, but I found it to be really good. His style is interesting. There’s a poetic or rhythmic vibe to a lot that he writes even in addition to the many poems that he includes in his writing. The above excerpt stood out to me as a powerful picture of the deep inner desires of someone who wants a moment of conflict or difficulty to become an opportunity for greater intimacy and connection.
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Originally posted June 8th 2007