Hearing in Color

Intergenerational Time 3/22/2020
Focus Scripture John 9:1-41  'The man born blind'
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Neil Harbisson was born with an extreme form of color blindness.  He is only able to see the world in greyscale.  To over come this inability to see color, Neil helped design a lightweight prosthetic device that transposes the light frequencies of color hues into sound frequencies.  He can literally hear the full color spectrum.  Neil was transformed and his ability to experience the world is more vibrant.  
Now, Neil says, he doesn't dress to look good but to sound good.  In an art gallery, he can hear a Picasso.  The supermarket is a symphony.  He can now create a composed meal and eat his favorite song.  Inter-personally, he can look into someone's eyes and they have their own unique sound.  
Neil found a way to adapt, creating a transformative experience from his own creativity, skill, and ingenuity.  

What can we take away from Neil Harbisson's story during our current time of anxiety, uncertainty, and isolation as a church family?  In a short period of time, we have gone from a gathered community to a scattered one.   I miss the Sunday morning gatherings we share as a faith community.  I miss seeing the faces of those I love.  I miss the experience of sharing the full spectrum of worship together.  How will we adapt? 

We will need to find new ways to see, new ways to hear, and new ways to serve, and new ways to care for each other.  With our own creativity, skill, and ingenuity, we will be transformed. Even though we are scattered, we are still the beautiful spectrum of our colorful community. We are like a hand full of multi-colored confetti tossed into the air. 

With a quick glace to social media, there are beautiful expressions of creative connection.  Neighbors decorating sidewalks in colorful chalk messages, collective yoga via Zoom, Netflix watch parties, and old fashion handwritten notes with Pen Pals are trendy again!  

Take this time of isolation and turn it into a compassionate retreat for yourself.  Turn inward and tap your creativity.  Just imagine all the colorful ways we will sound like when we are able to come together again!  
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You can hear about Neil Harbisson's Story here: