At the Friday night speaking event in Sacramento, Betty asked me to share with the public what our WAVES group of volunteers is all about. As part of my explanation, I shared with the audience one of my favorite “Betty quotes” from all of her books. It is from The Ripple Effect (pg. 144): “To learn to love more fully is the reason we have come to earth.”
Think for a moment about that quote and its implications for each day of our lives. Learning to become more loving is the overriding purpose of our existence in these earthly bodies.
Now think for a moment about conversations you have had in the past with neighbors, coworkers and perhaps even members of your own family. Have you ever had one of those surface-level conversations about the weather or how busy your life is, or another equally-safe, but non-fulfilling topic, only to have the distinct feeling that the conversation wasn’t bringing you into any deeper connection with that person? Have you ever longed for individuals to come along in your life that you could open up to and talk to below this superficial, trivial and often joyless surface-level of chatter, in a deeper sharing of the things that really matter to you in life? I know I have wished for this many times.
About 5 years ago, I would write my heart’s ponderings in my personal journal and I would pray that someday I would have some like-minded friends with whom to share my heart and have deeper conversations about our mutual human journey to become more loving and Christ-like beings. In more ways than I can name, our WAVES community has been an answer to this prayer. I’m sure this has been the case for many WAVES.
Having been blessed to attend the 10-year anniversary celebration of Embraced in Seattle in 2002, the WAVES Convention in Chicago last year, and this year’s Gathering in Sacramento in July, I can tell you for sure that one of the greatest joys of attending these events is the joy that your spirit experiences when it comes together with other spirits who are also consciously desiring to become more loving individuals. The openness, love, support and true, deep caring for one another in this environment leaves conversations about the weather and the rising cost of home values in the dust for more meaningful exchanges about making the most of our God-given lives and talents to help others and ways of becoming that “positive ripple” we all desire to be in the world.
As we seek to love one another and to become more Christ-like versions of ourselves, I know that God is pleased when He sees us come together for exactly these purposes. He shows us this, in part, by blessing our time, communications and prayers together at these Gatherings of love.
At each Gathering of WAVES, I am left awestruck at the spirit of each and every WAVE in attendance, whether old friends or new. I asked God for some friends to share my heart with, and He sent an army of earth-angel brothers and sisters!
For most people who attend a WAVES Convention, the travel costs can make it a financial sacrifice to attend. But I have seen that these sacrifices are never without their reward, as they are sacrifices for the cause of expanding the Love in the world, which, of course, always begins with expanding our own ability to Love as individuals.
This year we had 39 WAVES from all over the U.S. and Canada attending! I pray that even more WAVES will be able to attend the next Convention! It is so wonderful and spirit-lifting to spend time in the company of other WAVES and to hear Betty speak and teach in person on topics designed to help us become more loving and more attentive to the needs of others in our world.
I guess a WAVES Gathering can be summed up in these words: spending quality time with Betty; ample hugs; heartfelt sharing; tears of pain in need of healing; tears of joy seeking expression; love-filled & healing prayers; plentiful snack foods; lots of laughter; seeing the best in others; small miracles and divine synchronicities in motion; growing and sharing our unique God-given gifts and talents; meals with friends; getting to know other WAVES; fun and heartfelt auction items; loving, growing, helping, and supporting others and being supported; experiencing empathy for the challenges others face; sweet WAVE-made music; pleasant surprises; enjoyable destinations; countless “Ah-ha!” moments of learning; unexpected friendships; and very reluctant departures.
Until the tide draws us WAVES together once again, I’ll be missing everyone I’ve met so far and looking forward to meeting each WAVE who will attend a future Gathering!
