"More
and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people,
enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water,
and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a
privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of
presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems. My own desire to
be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive
project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings,
conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking
the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize
people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working
directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the
first thing shouldn't be to know people by name, to eat and drink
with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let
them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply
like them, but truly love them."
-Henri Nouwen
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