Each other is what fills the gaps in our souls

​At the beginning of our 3-day experience this week, I asked the group, "why are you here?" I asked based on the belief that if you know why you are doing something you will be much more powerful in accomplishing what you're trying to in doing it.

One young lady answered, "too many people are hurting, and I think it's because too many people have gaps in their souls, and I want to learn to be a better helper with that."

I'm sure she thought I was being rude because I turned away and wrote something in a journal I keep.

I wrote, "gap in my soul."

Words often grab hold of me. Even when in that moment I have no idea what the words mean. I like when that happens, because I then spend a lot of time trying to understand why they grabbed me. It's as if they were sent to grab me and then I in turn am assigned to understand why.

What exactly is my soul? That's where I started. I hear the soul talked about a lot, but I've never really spent much time deeply considering what my soul even is.

After much reflection, and while leaning over a fence and staring out into the mountains, I decided my soul is this unwavering part of me that conducts a conversation, sometimes a conversation quite unheard, between my heart and brain and body with hopes that I will always know and sense the truest nature of me.

I personally believe this unwavering part of me leading this conversation is the God who created me. Others may believe this conversation is led by another higher power. And maybe others don't believe in this conversation at all.

I just know leaning over that fence, I was in a conversation. I heard no words, but I felt a gap closing. I sensed a truer version of me than I often sense.

Yesterday, as we concluded our experience in a circle together, we reflected on our time with each other. I shared that I have spent a great deal of my life with great giant gaps in my soul. I looked at the young lady who helped me understand that, way wise beyond her years, and told her I now get this idea of gaps in the soul.

I told the entire group that I get it because sitting there with them, after three days of giving each other permission to be our truest selves, I felt complete.

Whole.

No gaps.

These gaps in our soul are often unresolved pain, unmet needs, unhealed traumas, a lack of connection with others and with God - those are the gaps.

I have experienced them all; depending on the day, I still do.

But I felt not a single gap in that circle. And I told the group this is my evidence that our friend is right. Healing hurt does come from filling those gaps in the soul.

There is hope in that, I told them. Because what was filling the gaps in my soul in that moment is readily available to fill the gaps in the souls around us.

Each other. Authentically and vulnerably, that is the great soul gap filler.

God created this world with no gaps in our souls. It was God and Adam and Eve, leaning over a fence looking at the majestic mountains. It was the very first 'each other', celebrating the gift of togetherness, all as their truest selves.

Somehow that wasn't enough for Adam and Eve. They wanted more and pursued it.

And suddenly, there were gaps in the soul.

I asked the group - maybe pleaded - help us get back to each other.

Help us fill the gaps of so many hurting souls.

The gaps in our souls, I believe, are equal to the distance between you and me. A distance often quite great. But I've experienced it, I promise you, one circle, one connection, it can close the gap.

Healing, each other, no gaps, like we were created to be.