Like a Straw in a Water Bottle
even more thoughts on authenticity
Last week I had to pay dummy tax. Dummy tax is when you make a mistake that costs you money. This can be a lot of money, like having to pay for car repair because you failed to take care of it. Or it could be just a little bit of money, like if you forget to pack your toothbrush.
For me, it was a water bottle.
I have two water bottles I like to take hiking: a larger 40+ oz water bottle I use to refill a smaller, 16 oz bottle.
Well, before I went hiking last week, I had to buy two new water bottles because I left both of them back home.
This new water bottle, unlike my old one, comes with a straw, which is nice.
Well, one day I was hiking, and I went to take a drink of water, but all I got was air. I knew from holding the bottle that there was definitely water left, so I was a bit confused as to what was going on. Then I realized the straw had come out of its hole.
It kind of hit me all at once that life can be like this. We know we have so much to give, but any number of factors make us feel like we’re sucking air.
But that’s where people like you come in. Many of you are my straw. When I’m around you, I feel safe and secure; I feel like I can be myself. Those are the times when I can access all my water, when I feel connected to the deepest parts of myself and can draw from the well that is my soul.
Who is like that for you? Who can you be authentic around? Who do you have to hide nothing from?
It is my dream to help create a church community like that, and it starts with people like you, people who help me reconnect that straw. I think even this Substack space can be like that for us too. Thank you for being part of my journey.