This chapter makes me think about the times that I have walked with a friend or family member through a tough time in their life. It's easier to say 'oh poor dear, that's too bad that happened to them' than it is to face them and say how can I walk with you? I think of my cousin who was dying and the impact I hope I made in her life by spending time with her as she waded through her final months on this earth. Her mess was definietly greater than anything I was going through, it would have been easier to not do anything, yet Matthew Kelly tells us that we need to take action and that by taking action we can overcome resistance. I found joy in going to sit by her side, talking to her about God, her joys and regrets in life. I found the time I spent with her to be very life giving to me. She sure helped me to put my mess into perspective!
"It's time to confront our own mess, how it affects us, and how our mess affects others. But it is also time to reach out to others who have mess greater or smaller than our own and be with them in their mess" (page 24).
What actions can you take to confront your mess? What actions can you take to reach out to someone in your life to walk with them through their mess?