Wide Open Living
A Different Kind of Wide Open
Running Wide Open
I lived the first part of my life wide open—
but not in the good way.
I rushed from place to place,
collecting moments like souvenirs,
stuffing them into my tote sack,
rarely staying long enough to really be there.
I lived like a pinball machine—
bouncing off obstacles,
chasing the next high score,
convinced that doing more meant living more.
Even when people or circumstances invited me to pause,
there was always that anxious dog inside me whispering,
“Keep moving. Do more. Don’t stop.”
That kind of wide open is loud.
Busy.
Restless.
And exhausting.
Learning to Stay
What I’m learning now—slowly and gratefully—
is a different kind of wide open.
Not rushed.
Not scattered.
But present, receptive, and awake.
A wide open that doesn’t run from the moment,
but stays with it.
A wide open that notices the person in front of me
and recognizes the presence of God already there.
Paul gives language to this posture when he writes,
“We are not withholding our affection from you…
our heart is wide open.” (2 Corinthians 6:11)
That verse keeps calling me back—
to openness that isn’t frantic,
but available.
When Openness Becomes a Gift
As my pace softens, my soul opens—
not armored,
not impressive,
not trying to manage outcomes—
but available.
Transparent.
Vulnerable.
Fully human.
And in that openness, something holy happens.
“My grace is sufficient for you,
for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
(2 Corinthians 12:9)
An open soul becomes a shared space.
People don’t have to work to get close.
They can reach in and take hold of what they need—
a listening ear,
a gentle word,
a moment of presence,
a glimpse of love.
Some call this being real.
Some call it authentic.
Some call it vulnerable.
I think it’s simply learning to live awake—
awake to God,
awake to others,
and no longer afraid to stay long enough to be changed.
Reflection
Where is God is inviting you into a deeper, staying kind of open?
What would it look like to stay present instead of rushing past this moment?
Who might experience God’s love if I let my soul remain wide open today?
Prayer