Jesus wept over Jerusalem ... tears continue to be an appropriate response to the suffering world today.
The gift of tears is a sign of change, of conversation of heart. The tears that are a gift are a sign of willingness to let go, of desire to let go, and the power of God acting in response to the person's prayer of longing ... The gift of tears is a sign of self-forgetfulness, a willing nakedness, a desire that comes from within to create space for God by letting go conscious pursuit of security, power, attachment ... The way of tears, while not seeking pain for its own sake, is a willingness to be continually confronted not only by painful truth about one's self, but also seeks to know this truth on a universal level of human suffering ... The way of tears quickly proceeds beyond focus on personal self-knowledge to an orientation toward the Other ... choosing to be related to the creation.
~ from THE FOUNTAIN AND THE FURNACE by Maggie Ross
Once you start to see through the myth of status, possessions, and unlimited
consumption as a path to happiness, you'll find that you have all kinds of freedom
and time. It's like a deal you can make with the universe: I'll give up greed for
freedom. Then you can start putting your time to good use.
~ from NOTHING TO LOSE BUT OUR ILLUSIONS by David Edwards