For some of us, Head and Heart disagree so often we wonder how they can inhabit the same body. Here’s how their stories could be told.
Heart is a happy Hippy, a flower child in love with love.
Head is a serious disciplinarian whose love is law and order.
Heart wants to live in a tent on a beach, and dance in the freedom of sea and sky.
Tomorrows don’t exist.
Todays come like a string of coloured beads and Heart can ignore the unattractive ones.
Head, on the other hand, lives in a solid house.
All the furniture has labels, while the exterior walls are clearly marked, should, must, need to and will do.
There is no room for the unplanned.
Heart is not keen on labels.
Living is about lighting candles, staying up late, drinking red wine and listening to music that makes the pulse wild with delight.
Sometimes, Head creates extra labels to describe Heart, but a law about criticism does not allow Head to use them.
Head worries about Heart.
Heart worries about Head.
Although the two seem far apart, what they have in common is their Faith.
This will take them away from themselves, on the road of Service.
Head has plans for the Service journey, maps for every part of the road.
What Head finds difficult is the unexpected.
Situations not on the maps, suddenly appear and can block Head’s path.
Admittedly, it doesn’t happen often. But when it occurs Head is paralysed by a feeling of helplessness.
Heart thinks Service will provide a way to pour out the spontaneous love that is Heart’s identity.
Aren’t all Hearts made for love?
Only sometimes, the outpouring doesn’t work as well as it should.
Heart is misunderstood.
Loving needs some kind of container so that it will be recognized as authentic.
On the road of Service, it is not long before Head and Heart drift together and start borrowing from each other.
Head learns to be more spontaneous.
While a love or order still exists, experience tells Head that the unexpected can be very satisfying.
It brings something new to Head’s journey, even though it doesn’t fit the labels.
Some of Head’s labels have been picked up by Heart to give structure to loving service.
The words on the labels have been slightly changed.
Law and Order have become Empathy and Respect.
Discipline is Awareness.
Head finds these labels to be good friends.
Eventually, Head and Heart come close enough to be in constant dialogue.
How they are made, is not changed, but they are no longer so self-absorbed.
They can freely borrow from each other in their commitment to Service.
We can predict what will happen next.
The day will come when they wake up to discover they have formed a Oneness, made in the Image of God.
- Joy Cowley is a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and retreat facilitator.