Come as an Idea Person - episode 105
Today’s Believe conversation is with Lindsey Heinrich. We got reacquainted recently and because of our subsequent, fulfilling get-to-know-you conversation I invited her on the show. I am deeply moved by people who show up confident in themselves and create a safe space for you to do the same. Lindsey is such a person. We talk about embracing the imperfect of each person including yourself then offering grace.
I am eager for the collaboration between Lindsey and Betty. The book, The Space Between, sounds very inspirational as it reveals the stories of others in all their beauty and pain. The addition of Lindsey’s art will no doubt be impactful as we ‘feel all the feels’ of the people who dared to share a piece of themselves with us. I know I learn about myself, and this life, by hearing the experiences of others.
Undaunted. Logistical. Relational.
— Lindsey Heinrich
A couple of Lindsey’s pieces. She specializes in non-representational art, which is using form, shape, color, and line to express emotion.
This style of art will be used in the stories from the book.
The Aftermath
Thoughts from Come as an Idea Person
Lindsey spoke of 9/11 and how many good things came from that horrific, historic event. Yes it was awful and there aren’t enough adjectives to begin to convey the devastation that was wrought on the US. Did God (if you believe in him) cause this to happen? Some might say yes. Personally I can’t get behind the thought of a God who is love, by definition, being so monstrous. I believe as Lindsey does that he allowed it and that he is making as much good out of it as we have the capacity to handle.
This was another example of most of the world uniting. (The US had never had this kind of invasion on our own soil.) There was a renewed sense of patriotism that I had not personally experienced in my lifetime. We came together for a greater good, to grieve, to process, to help rebuild, and to heal.
Living on the opposite coast from the tragedy, I was not geographically impacted nor was I affected personally as I didn’t know anyone who perished. This is how the stats stack up: According to 911memorial.org:
2,977 killed
93 nations represented
2,753 in New York
184 at Pentagon
40 on Flight 93 in Pennsylvania
Many will say the real heroes are those on Flight 93 who upon hearing about what happened with the first three planes, intentionally joined together to divert the plane they were on, in fact crashing it into a field in PA instead of its intended target, the Capitol or the White House. The other heroes are all the first-responders who tirelessly did their jobs and then some.
One of those was not a first-responder in the traditional sense, he was a priest who was in the lobby of the Trade Center’s North Tower so he could pray for the firefighters who were heading up the stairs, and for any office workers. He had rushed to the scene to be of service. Father Mychal Judge. He has had an immeasurable impact on me since the photograph of his lifeless body was captured in a now iconic photo. His is considered to be the first casualty of 9/11. Sometimes a picture will carry more than a thousand words and this one sure did for me.
Victim 0001
-Father Mychal Judge
The original photo for this blog was the top image only (taken by Shannon Stapleton, Reuter’s). Have replaced it with my own piece of art under Fair Use:
Fair Use
Fair Use comes allows you to use an image based on three conditions. First is if it used for limited non-profit and educational use. Second is if it is changed so drastically that it no longer has the same meaning or purpose, and third is if it is used informatively for the public good.
Pretty much every time I look at this photo I get weepy. For the devotion of each person in the picture, through the hellish aftermath of what they experienced first-hand. For their honor in serving. For caring enough to do the hard things. For the tender, loving care they showed this deceased man who would have a legacy he could not have imagined. Father Judge carried prayer cards in his pocket and gave them out liberally. His words have come to mean a great deal to me.
Lord, today, take me where you want me to go,
Have me meet who you want me to meet,
Tell me what you want me to say,
And keep me out of your way.
Amen.
