One comment was all it took, “And underneath, I hear the emotion.”
My soul was seen.
It was an astute observation from a teammate, summarizing what I shared with our team about my experiences in 2014. He’s a tender-hearted guy, this one, and he always manages to look underneath the surface.
I teared up in response (I tear up at car commercials and national cheerleading competitions and – oh, you name it, I get verklempt). My emotions kept bubbling to the surface as we went around the room and others shared how they heard me too. Just when I thought maybe I had it together I leaked again.
Being seen like that is unnerving. I felt exposed. Undone. But the tears were happy ones. They were “you see me” tears.
It’s a powerful thing, for a soul to be seen.
Our souls are the truest parts of us. They long to be seen. We want people to know who we really are, but so often we hide behind masks and false selves that we feel are more acceptable to the world. We aren’t invited to share from the deeper, truer places in ourselves.
There’s no space. No time. But sometimes, the soul makes itself known. If we’re fortunate the person who witnesses it says, “I see who you are, and I welcome it.” And our souls are blessed.
I don’t feel that as often as I need. In the busyness of being a mama, it’s easy to miss those places where I could be seen by others. It takes intentionality of time and vulnerability – hard to find in carpool pass offs and hallway greetings and church meet and greets. This time with our team reminded me how important it is to seek out time with the dear people in our lives who see, hear, understand, know, and love us.
In Genesis 16, we find one is my favorite names for God. Sarai and Abram send Hagar away. God meets her there in her sadness and pain, and blesses her. “So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi (which means “well of the Living One who sees me”). He is El Roi, the God who sees our souls.
It does our souls good to be seen – by God and by others. In the absence of the times when we can be with others who see our souls, we remember there is always One who does. Be refreshed at the well of the Living One who sees us.
Who sees your soul?
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Oh, this is so fine. I have you as a near-neighbor @ Faith-Filled Friday and am so grateful, for I, too, know that my soul screams out to be heard. She once had no one to, or felt that way anyway. Then I married a precious Christian man who knows “me” from the inside-out as best as one human can. Around the same time as we were dating, I was coming to know Jesus. I have had a blessed relationship with Him for 22 years now and know El Roi, and learn more about Him each day. I am thankful that He sees and knows the Linda that only a few know very well.
Thank you for blessing me today and reminding me of this beautiful relational aspect.
Caring through Christ, ~ linda
Welcome Linda! So glad this blessed you. It’s such a comforting truth, isn’t it, that He is El Roi? Blessings to you.
I love reading what you write! Thank you for sharing and allowing us to be part of “seeing” your soul in some small way wherever we live. This may sound trivial compared to your post, but last week we watched Avatar and I was thinking about that greeting they use, “I see you.” It’s indeed very powerful! I think when we are entering into a new community (which sometimes can take years) it’s even all the more powerful.
Thanks Sarah!