65 Comments

This is my absolute favorite thing you've ever written, which is saying a lot. Thank you for always making me remember what matters and what counts and how to live.

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I felt this one deeply, Lisa. It feels like my heart has broken — is breaking — in a thousand ways, all the time. But as Leonard Cohen says, "that's how the light gets in." I believe now that my broken heart has more capacity to hold love and to pour love back into the world than ever before. Here's to staying open and embracing the discomfort of moving through life with the vulnerability of a heart cracked open. 💗

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An open heart, a painful and at the same time joyous thing. Thanks for sharing.

“If nothing saves us from death, at least love should save us from life.” - Neruda

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I needed this so, so, so, so, so, so much. ❤️

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Lisa, thank you so much. Your words here stay very close to me as I try to refrain from forcibly closing my broken heart.

"Having an open heart is scary — looking honestly at what’s going on is scary — noticing the decaying around us is scary. Facing the facade is scary. I’m scared."

I'm scared, too... facing the facade is so scary. But the prospect of not ever facing it might be even scarier.

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We can be shattered and whole at the same time. Thank you for this reminder.

I really love the note you wrote to yourself, trust your readers - tell & trust.

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There has definitely been some open heart witnessing this week, but you know what, it has been magical. Thank you for putting words around, firstly, your experience, and, secondly, what we all secretly or not so secretly wish we saw more of in the world.

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This is brilliant: “I want to stay open. Open is alive. I want to stay present. Present is alive. I want to stay with the hurt. Hurt is alive. I want to stay on the ground. On ground is alive. I want to look. Looking is alive. I want to pay attention. Attention is alive. I want to witness. Witnessing is alive. I want to feel it. Feeling is alive. I want to be with. Being is alive.”

Yes. Absolutely. Feeling it all. Being with What Is. My favorite Buddhist mantra: “Right now it’s like this.”

So much of our pain, I think, stems from denial of What Is. And denial of the ultimate reality of death, not intellectually but emotionally; viscerally.

Michael Mohr

‘The Incompatibility of Being Alive’

https://reallife82.substack.com/

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I was also adopted, at birth, and feel this deep in my bones. So perfectly timed as I’ve been reflecting on my open heartedness and identify and worth. I’m being called into a new chapter and role in life and keeping my heart open to it all is really hard when I’d rather pull my turtle shell up sometimes where I know it’s safe on my own. But I know my open heartedness is my greatest gift and also requires the most nurturance. And life is so much more full in all the ways when I allow myself to remain open.

Thank you for this gorgeous reminder, Lisa. Sending all my love.

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Lisa, You write so very well. I can feel your ongoing enchantment with life - all life. Thank you. D

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Apr 2, 2023Liked by Lisa Olivera

Surprised myself in recognizing through this reading, I have always had an open, broken open, heart. Explains a bit more about how and why I see the world, the things, the all. Will ponder this, will come back to this writing and reflect more....thank you🤍

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Apr 2, 2023Liked by Lisa Olivera

Thank you for this. You expressed so much of what has been going on for me. Thank you for giving it a voice so I could hear.

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Apr 2, 2023Liked by Lisa Olivera

This was so beautiful and healing Lisa- thank you!

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What a beautiful post. And that Oliver poem always SLAYS me. 🙏🏻

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"A broken heart is the signature of the willingness to look" - thank you so much for this. To not ignore what is there. That takes such bravery and compassion. Needed these words today.

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Apr 2, 2023Liked by Lisa Olivera

Thank you Lisa.

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