When we release ourselves from the burden of proving our value by what we make of time, we can learn slowness for the sake of our whole selves – our minds, bodies and souls—and for the sake of those in our world who are most vulnerable. But this is spiritual work. If we want to value the lives of those who will never produce enough to be considered good, we have to first value ourselves outside of what we can do.

"When we begin to understand what it means to reside within God's time, we are opened up to a whole new way of being in the world, a way that not only respects the difference that disability brings, but in a sense requires it."

That's why we need a vision of God that is love, and a vision of all that God has created as born from love. We are not robots set on earth to do enough work in enough time to be deemed good. We are born of love and given a loving, expansive creation: Time is a gift of love. That means we are invited to be whole bodies (not just brains), who are learning what it is to love one another.

Links:

• This reflection and practice were also published this week in The Slow Way Newsletter.
• Read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis here.
• Read Becoming Friends of Time by John Swinton here.
• Find a transcript of this episode here.
• Find Micha's website and sign up for her weekly newsletter here
• Find Micha on Instagram
• Find Micha on Twitter
• Micha's other podcast, The Lucky Few, is all about Down syndrome advocacy. She cohosts it with Heather Avis and Mercedes Lara.
• Found: A Story of Questions, Grace, and Everyday Prayer is available everywhere books are sold