I talk about Jean Vanier a lot; being that he's my hero that happens. Well because I work in the L'Arche federation there have been some cool opportunities to "reach out" so to speak with Mr. Vanier. For example: I, along with my community, and some other communities were a part of video sent to Jean when he received his Pacem in Terris award, a Catholic peace award that was started near my home.
As L'Arche as a whole will be celebrating 50 years this year they are doing something very special. L'Arche means Ark; in the very L'Arche home where I share life you see this theme everywhere. So going around to EVERY L'Arche community (all 146 of them) is a Ark where Assistants and Core Members can put in cards, letters, and notes for Jean and he will receive them all in this Ark! I was so thrilled to get to write a letter!
So who is Jean Vanier? I will post a link to his Wikipedia page at the bottom of this post. Essentially he is the man who began the L'Arche Federation. Through seeing the suffering of individuals with intellectual disabilities he invited two of them to live in his home in 1964. From there he expanded and grew the first community. Now exist many communities in many countries. He still lives in Trosly France in the original community he began.
Before I share with you some of the what I put into my letter I want to really share with you why I think Jean Vanier is so amazing. I've read "Becoming Human" and "Community and Growth" and he has some profound things to say in those works, but it's the knowledge that he has and continues to live this life. The life of being in community and one life of sharing, that stands up to me.
What I also found powerful is that while his works are often related to living in a community like mine, it is how they apply to just living that so much is revealed. Let me share some quotes:
“To be lonely is to feel unwanted and unloved, and therefor unloveable. Loneliness is a taste of death. No wonder some people who are desperately lonely lose themselves in mental illness or violence to forget the inner pain.”
“When we love and respect people, revealing to them their value, they can begin to come out from behind the walls that protect them.”
“People cannot accept their own evil if they do not at the same time feel loved, respected and trusted.”
“When children are loved, they live off trust; their lives and hearts open up to those who respect and love them, who understand and listen to them."
As L'Arche as a whole will be celebrating 50 years this year they are doing something very special. L'Arche means Ark; in the very L'Arche home where I share life you see this theme everywhere. So going around to EVERY L'Arche community (all 146 of them) is a Ark where Assistants and Core Members can put in cards, letters, and notes for Jean and he will receive them all in this Ark! I was so thrilled to get to write a letter!
So who is Jean Vanier? I will post a link to his Wikipedia page at the bottom of this post. Essentially he is the man who began the L'Arche Federation. Through seeing the suffering of individuals with intellectual disabilities he invited two of them to live in his home in 1964. From there he expanded and grew the first community. Now exist many communities in many countries. He still lives in Trosly France in the original community he began.
Before I share with you some of the what I put into my letter I want to really share with you why I think Jean Vanier is so amazing. I've read "Becoming Human" and "Community and Growth" and he has some profound things to say in those works, but it's the knowledge that he has and continues to live this life. The life of being in community and one life of sharing, that stands up to me.
What I also found powerful is that while his works are often related to living in a community like mine, it is how they apply to just living that so much is revealed. Let me share some quotes:
“To be lonely is to feel unwanted and unloved, and therefor unloveable. Loneliness is a taste of death. No wonder some people who are desperately lonely lose themselves in mental illness or violence to forget the inner pain.”
“When we love and respect people, revealing to them their value, they can begin to come out from behind the walls that protect them.”
“People cannot accept their own evil if they do not at the same time feel loved, respected and trusted.”
“When children are loved, they live off trust; their lives and hearts open up to those who respect and love them, who understand and listen to them."
So here is what I would like to share from my brief letter to Jean:
"Living L'Arche has taught me that in all aspects of life- you share it. Life is a shared experience and because we are sharing life- life is messy, imperfect, and lovely. Finding the quiet peace in that shared life is something I deeply treasure. Interacting with Core Members there is a glimpse of the trueness of people, without subterfuge or need to hide so much. It is in that precious vulnerability that lies so much strength. While at times I get caught up in the day to day grind, my hope is to find the beauty in what is often chaotic and to be a measure of peace inside of it."
To some this term "sharing life" might sound odd. "Of course life is a shared experience" but in L'Arche sharing life is more than just doing something at the same time or experiencing something together. That's part of it but it's also a shared vulnerability, a shared acceptance of each other's reality. It is a shared growth, shared love, and shared hope. It creates a deep bond.
This is an interview with Jean Vanier:
"Living L'Arche has taught me that in all aspects of life- you share it. Life is a shared experience and because we are sharing life- life is messy, imperfect, and lovely. Finding the quiet peace in that shared life is something I deeply treasure. Interacting with Core Members there is a glimpse of the trueness of people, without subterfuge or need to hide so much. It is in that precious vulnerability that lies so much strength. While at times I get caught up in the day to day grind, my hope is to find the beauty in what is often chaotic and to be a measure of peace inside of it."
To some this term "sharing life" might sound odd. "Of course life is a shared experience" but in L'Arche sharing life is more than just doing something at the same time or experiencing something together. That's part of it but it's also a shared vulnerability, a shared acceptance of each other's reality. It is a shared growth, shared love, and shared hope. It creates a deep bond.
This is an interview with Jean Vanier:
I have found that his directions for living life- reveal a way of peaceful happiness. A togetherness and beauty that can be applied to ourselves, our families, and our greater communities. On this journey to finding my own lasting happiness and peace what I have read from Jean Vanier has been so helpful.