When I was in college, I attended a master class in Butoh, a Japanese dance form. Butoh is highly eccentric - Wikipedia sums it up as "playful and grotesque imagery, taboo topics, extreme or absurd environments, and .... slow hyper-controlled motion." None of us were quite sure what we were in for. The instructor asked us to lie down on the floor. Then, in the most serene voice I've ever heard, she said, "I will begin a Butoh exercise. You can try it, or you can not try it. You can like it, or not like it. That's not my problem."
I've always remembered that class, not for any of the movements we did, but because of the unique way the Butoh teacher invited us into the dance. She didn't try to convince us of anything. She simply gave us what she had to offer and let us be responsible for taking whatever we wanted from the experience.
I think sometimes we fear offering our ourselves because we're not sure how we will be received. Will our love be returned? Will our gifts be enjoyed? Will people feel burdened by our invitations?
Lord, teach me to offer what I have with open hands, and leave the rest up to you. Amen.
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