Two Stories, Three Thoughts on Taking Responsibility.

Two stories:

On the TV news: Kimberly Milne jumped to her death in July 2023. Police said Kimberly was ‘clearly terrified’ of her husband Lee Milne; her death was the result of her taking ‘a course of action to get away from him’. Milne was convicted of abusing his wife and being responsible for her death. The conviction of ‘culpable homicide’ was the first of its kind in Scotland,

In our local paper: ‘Leon Day Counselling’ is celebrating its first year of helping people in the community. Leon’s a former mental health nurse and trained counsellor. His wife Esther an artist, minister, and community worker, serves as a community chaplain. Together they co-founded ‘Kadosh Soul Space’, a wellbeing organisation that hosts regular mindfulness evenings, beach labyrinth events and safe spaces at local festivals…

Musing: The court’s verdict of ‘culpable homicide’ demonstrated that Lee must take responsibility for Kimberley’s death. Leon’s words: ‘We know life can be really tough, and at any point all of us need a safe place to be heard and heal…’ show his willingness to take responsibility for folk’s wellbeing.

Three thoughts:

Singing Bill Wither’s ‘Lean on Me’… at yesterday’s ‘Singing for Wellbeing’:

‘Lean on me
When you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on…’

…about willingly, intentionally taking responsibility for the needs of others.

Reflecting on yoga… Traditionally yoga is associated with Hinduism and Eastern religions… Literally yoga means ‘union’. It has the same roots as the word ‘yoke’. It is about physical, mental and spiritual activities that yoke you, unite you with the divine – be it Krishna, Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha or Yahweh.

Yoga highlights the importance of taking responsibility for my relationship with God by developing appropriate practices.

Recalling the words of St Augustine: ‘All our striving in this life consists in healing the eye of the heart in order to see God.’

Augustine says that the true purpose of life is to take responsibility for cultivating a heart that can perceive divine truth and see God in a clearer way.