08 January 2009

Don't read this if words offend you...

Masturbation.
I was raised hearing that if I did that I would: 1. become blind; 2. grow hair on my palms; 3. go insane. No one ever talked about the truth.

It separates and isolate. It causes the focus to be drawn on to an image instead of to another. It reduces people to things that are there to satisfy the flesh and cause momentary pleasure instead of relationship that can create a lifetime of love, caring, sacrifice, intimacy, encouragement, value, hope, wisdom, understanding, risk, pain, peace, character, etc.

It is more than just rubbing of genitalia but of turning to yourself to find something that should involve someone else and pleases someone else. The idea of mutual pleasure versus self pleasure is huge. Mutual pleasure does not rob or reduce the identity of another to a single act or role. It is not self focused for results but it finds that result while provide results for others. The most important thing in mutual pleasure is not on the measuring of results but on the time and relationships involved in the process of getting to results. The result is not a finality but a celebration of intimacy. There are no celebrations in self gratification and it never is satisfactory.

When we are focused on self to bring pleasure or gratification, we lose our focus on what is possible and settle for that which is only attainable. It is very short sighted. What is possible is a journey into uncharted territory. Failure is possible. It raises heartbeats and deepens breath. It brings life to the surface instead of being locked in a room with a single light on. It opens the eyes and there is no looking away in shame.

Intimacy is a gift to others that grows the soul. Why settle on only momentary biological pleasure when you can change the world? It adds value to others to see their worth and part in the ballet of community.

This is a gift from God that can be consumed by the self or invested in another.