What is grace?

What is grace? Grace has many facets, each of which bestows a different quality upon the giver and the receiver, but above all grace is a way of moving through life with an offering of patience, compassion, and immeasurable gentleness. Our fast-paced lives often leave little room for tolerance and understanding, but grace demands them. It sees beyond the obvious responses. It rises above pettiness and revenge. It insists that we forgive and forget when wronged by others.

And it does all of this willingly,
because without goodwill there can be no grace.

Grace is with us every day. Our lives are filled with opportunities to extend grace to others, but too frequently we pass them by. Do we believe that grace is beyond us? Do we assume it to be a quality so magical that we can never attain it? The potential for grace resides within all of us. It can be learned and practiced. It can be cultivated, the way we would cultivate a flower That cultivation is worth every effort, because grace can uplift us, grace can sustain us, grace can revitalize, renew, and repair. Grace can make us happy and fulfilled. Grace can even bring peace and harmony in its wake.

One who extends grace enhances that quality in others
and is likely to receive it in return.

From Grace, edited by Lin Sexton, 1995