“No, no! Jesus didn’t experience anxiety!” we might say. I think this is a reaction to quickly judging emotions as bad and untrustworthy. Consider Christ’s prayer in the garden, as he neared death. We read quite disturbing words from Luke: “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground”.
I'm no etymologist, but words fascinate me. Kardia, in many of its uses, has captivated my attention for a long time. As a Bible student, kardia appears multiple times as the Greek word for heart.
Not the organ that pumps blood through your body. Kardia is the figurative core of your being. It is the seat and center of human life, emotion, volitional will. It is the "causative source of one's psychological life in its various aspects." All that to say, your heart is a huge deal and deserves attention and care!
Situationship. We’ve heard the term before. It’s a fancy name we’ve given to a not so glamorous approach to dating, and sometimes even marriage. In the past it’s been referred to as friends with benefits or maybe a fling. But as with anything, a new generation has come along, slapped a new label on it and ta da…you have the awkward in between friends but not in a relationship, situationship. It’s sex with no real commitment. Vulnerability with the lack of emotional intimacy.
Sarah Lawrence Allen, Kardia Collective Downtown Site Director and Licensed Professional Counselor, had the opportunity to speak with WREG News Channel 3 recently about the hard work and subsequent reward of relationships. She offers great insight for all of us as we seek a deeper connection with ourselves and others in the new year.
Relationships are the fuel of human existence and are worth the hard work.
