Blessed are You, O’LORD our G_D, King of the universe, Creator of all things who establishes friendships and intimacy amongst those who pursue You.

Blessed are You, O’LORD our G_d, King of the universe, Creator of all things who establishes friendships and intimacy amongst those who oppose You.

Blessed are You, O’LORD our G_d, King of the universe, Creator of all things who establishes friendships and intimacy with those who oppose You and with those who pursue You.

I’ve often been confounded by the mindset of making ourselves isolated from the world – I know that the heart behind it is to protect that which is of great value…but I don’t understand this anymore than keeping a rare gem, painting, artifact in a vault out of reach and sight in order to preserve it…but for what good?

The true beauty of great artistry is how it contrasts with the ordinary artistry around it. A flower’s true beauty shows forth when it grows in unexpected and, even, offensive places. It doesn’t judge the place it grows…it just grows the only way that it knows how – and it makes everything around it better.

I pray that the beauty of G_d that blooms in each of us would soften the trash heap around us…and oftentimes the beauty at bloom around us is not from those who are the pursuers.