Beloved

I think this is a rather old-fashioned sounding word ... beloved, especially if you pronounce it with three syllables: bi-luv-id. I really like the way it sounds, the way it rolls off of the tongue, what it means and how it's been used in my life.

Beloved means to be dearly loved -- or to be someone who is dearly loved. Everyone should be someone's beloved. I have many beloveds -- and I am beloved to quite a few people -- at least that's what they've told me through their words and their actions. There's nothing quite like the feeling of knowing that you are beloved.

I received a wonderful letter from my daughter today. She made me feel WHOLLY beloved. She expressed a reciprocal sentiment as she wrote, "You're still the only one in the entire world who loves me as I am, and that's all." And I do. God does, too. (She knows that, but she was talking about me.) Chocolate-covered strawberries from my son and love-laden words from my daughter. How well cared-for am I ?!




Most of the time, I use the word as something sacred. Of God. Holy. Beloved. Dearly loved by God. Wow.

Every single day that David walked our kids to the bus stop, he reminded them that they were Beloved Children of God. I'm pluralizing it here. I don't think he did that. He spoke to each one individually: "You are a Beloved Child of God." I said more everyday things like, "Be smart! Be safe! You may not be unkind, but you don't have to endure unkindness!" Stuff like that. He trusted me to cover lunches and general manners and mores -- and I trusted him to remind them of who they were. It was good tag-teaming. I don't think that he ever wrote a song entitled, "Beloved." That actually surprises me. He probably has lyrics somewhere, though -- but a search to find them would be exhausting, if you recall the stretch of song journals through which I would have to leaf. I wonder why something so basic to him did not find its way to a song. Or am I forgetting one?

Being a Beloved Child of God came up in the discussion during my book group last evening. We were reflecting on "paying attention" and celebrating the flesh part of spirituality -- "the practice of wearing skin." Of course in a room full of women, the conversation turned to body image. Most of us are mothers well into and beyond our 40's. It was heartening to hear that most of us had come to terms with loving the bodies that we are residing in right now -- today -- even as we struggle with the discipline of exercise and eating right in our busy, distracted lives (such that we don't pay attention to the the world around us like we might if we were more mindful). The majority of women in the group are Christian women -- with at least an elementary idea of what it means to "love self," so I bet that was a big part of this broad acceptance of ourselves. Beloved of God. Love self. Of course, as the saying goes, perhaps God loves us too much for us NOT to change! I know I need to exercise more. I surely could improve the state of this temple which houses my beloved soul. I surely want to. But unless and until I do that, I am still beloved. That is comforting.

... back to the bus stop ... I wonder if those words each morning comforted our children. "You are beloved." God loves you dearly. Did they forget the words the moment they were uttered? Did they keep them in their thoughts as they ascended the big steps up into the bus? Did they let them float away as they joined their peers and chatted on the way to school? How about throughout the day? Did those words help them to make choices in how they treated other kids? How they related to their teachers? How they took care of themselves? I've never asked! I think I will!

How do we adults perceive such lovely truth? Is it truth for you? Do you believe you are beloved? Are you treated as though you are? Do you know such love through worship or Scripture? Do you regard others as being beloved?

Another topic of last night's discussion was about paying attention -- I liken part of the conversation to the idea of "walking a mile in someone else's moccasins." Sometimes it's a tough pill to swallow -- giving someone the benefit of the doubt -- offering undeserved grace, especially if they're rude or nasty! Slow drivers get me all riled-up. Sometimes I pretend that the aggravating driver that I'm following at 5 mph under the speed limit is my mother, good and old! I can actually become thankful for "her" forcing me to slow in my journey so I can become more mindful and more thankful. That usually calms me down. Paying attention -- walking in someone else's imaginary shoes -- extending grace. Believing deep-down that they, too, are a Beloved Child of God. It can stop you in your tracks -- slow your heartbeat and your breathing. Bring you peace.

Who is beloved to you? Just one or two people? Do you love your neighbor; love your enemies? All of them ... beloved. Do you have a hard time loving self? My sister reminded me of this again today -- she's a great subscriber to self-examination, but also to the healing self-forgiveness that you can find through that journey. Can you welcome-in the belovedness of you?

David gave me a little art piece years ago -- It's just a 6" square lavendery-blue thing that I keep right beside my kitchen sink, on which are printed words penned by Maya Angelou: "I'm convinced that I am a child of God. That's wonderful, exhilarating, liberating, full of promise!" I see those words each and every day so he is constantly reminding me, too. Thanks, David.

The kids and I struggled with what words to have engraved on the urn that holds his ashes. We considered "Living Forever," and "Loving the Time." Also other phrases from his songs -- words that were very important to him. Then it just came to us -- perfect in its simplicity:

David M. Bailey, A Beloved Child of God

David ... Hebrew for beloved.

Go figure.