On Grace

 

Grace can mean a lot of things. Aside from being a lovely, feminine name, it can be viewed as a divine dispensation. The “grace of God” usually refers to a divine gift given to the undeserving, something that God gives even though we, the receivers, may not merit it (which, incidentally, I do not buy. I think of God as essential being that is revealing itself through creation, not making choices as to who gets and who doesn’t. This, however, is a topic for another essay.)

A joy to watch

Then there is the “grace of beautiful movement.” We are very aware of some living things, maybe human beings, maybe some animals, who strike our senses with the fluidity and ease of their physical movements. They seem to track from one place to another with a minimum of thought, effort and no impediments to their travel. At the very least they are a joy to watch.

The grace of small deals

There is also what I like to call the “grace of small deals,” which some people carry off with aplomb. At any time during a busy day things can unravel and go awry; emergencies can pop up; people can be freaking out about any number of things, and still those possessing the grace of small deals can move through all of these without ever letting anything turn into a big deal. It is not that he or she of the small deal minimizes or makes less important the very important. It is that there seems to be in such people the quiet, strong, stabilizing ability to keep hysterical behaviors from erupting. By their very presence they are a settling influence. It cannot be said that they are without feelings because this makes no sense. Everyone is subject to the emotion inherent in a situation. None of us live outside the moment in some kind of vacuum.

A sense of their own place

I think that small-deal people, those who are full of grace, carry with them a sense of their own place in life. Perhaps it can be said that they know themselves, that they have real love for themselves and that they know they are loved by others. Frankly I think that firefighters can be full of grace. Whenever I see depictions of them engaging in their tasks, they seem to be little-dealing whatever is happening. No doubt there is excitement and a sense of urgency in what they do. No question either that they can be putting themselves in harm’s way, but their disciplines in handling what lies before them appear to be an almost choreographed flow. One cannot help but be inspired at the sight of them in action.

A real sense of self

Perhaps it could be said that those who have a real sense of self and the discipline that goes with directing that self are naturally full of grace. They can be very young…some little children meander along, enjoying their own sphere. They can be very old…some elderly folks know how to stand comfortably wherever they find themselves.

The grace-filled

Whenever I see the grace-filled, I am transfixed by them. I don’t envy them. I would simply like to be one of them.