What to do when the heart is closed

Posted on | July 15, 2009 |

Lately Baptist de Pape, Han Koorneefe, Lilou Mace and others have been corresponding with me about this particular topic.  It’s been fascinating!  The same questions sometimes come back to us, though. Here’s one: If one of our life-tasks is to try and keep an open heart (and I have every reason to believe this is the case.  If you disagree then I’d respectfully refer you to ‘The Six Archetypes of Love’.  It may change your mind.) then how do we deal with those whose hearts have become closed?

Some people would probably laugh and tell me this is proof that my idea doesn’t work.  Obviously, it’s impossible to keep an open heart for very long in this cruel world of ours - or so they may say.

That’s just fear talking.  That’s simply the feeling of those who can’t bear to take the risk of living from the loving center of themselves.

Of course it’s hard to keep open and loving, but it isn’t impossible.  Think of a mother with a sick baby.  The baby screams and struggles and perhaps behaves in ways that are unappealing, but the mother knows this is just the illness, and that the child is frightened and uncomfortable.  The mother doesn’t stop loving the baby.

So why is it so hard for us to mobilize that feeling for our friends?  For our neighbors?  For those we don’t know and don’t like?  Here’s a clue: It’s only difficult because we’re not used to trying. It’s not that hard, really, is it?

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