My, my, what a big Soul

Some folks touch our hearts. They have a special quality…it can be their amazing talent, generous heart, mental tranquility, or an unusually beautiful smile. There is a priest I knew who had a laugh so joyful that other chaplains cracked jokes at morning huddle just to hear it. This man’s laugh made the rest of us feel like everything would be okay that day.

There’s a certain something some folks have that brings delight to others without any apparent effort on their part. It’s who they are that pleases the rest of us, like a sunflower in bloom, or the ocean crashing on the shore. They have inherent goodness which they let show.

I think many of us ache for goodness- the kind that the holy books from around the world speak of. We can call it whatever we like: compassion, unconditional love, self-transcendence, generosity of spirit, sweetness of soul. The thing we reach for goes beyond language, right to the heart.

There is a word I learned from my Latin American history professor who studied with indigenous Guatemalans: na`abl. My prof tried to explain what this translates to in English, finally saying, “It sort of means, ‘this guy’s got soul!’” He clenched a fist emphatically as he said “soul.”

Perhaps, what we are looking for is soulfulness in each other and the world.

The generous heart, beautiful smile, amazing talent, and wonderful laugh are little glimpses into the good soul of another human being. That quick look inside of someone else’s spirit helps us to feel our own. And we need that right now. We need to feel our own eternal presences, our own goodness.

This is my belief (and I don’t care who disagrees): everyone has na`abl. Each of us has goodness. We are the dream of a benevolent and loving Creator. I wonder what this beat-up, old world would be like if we all believed this about ourselves and each other.

Who could we be if we had faith in innate goodness? What would humanity’s work be if more of us were in touch with our soul-selves? Would we tackle climate change with self-discipline and genius? Would we end homelessness with generosity and level-headed problem-solving? Could we end the epidemic of suicide and overdoses with an overwhelming demonstration of compassion and resources? What could we do if enough of us knew that we are embodied spirits and inspirited bodies?

Here are a few questions to reflect on: What is the thing about you, your secret ingredient, that others compliment you for? How do you show your innate goodness? Can you see goodness in everyone else?