Availability
The Challenge and the Gift of Being Present
Author: Robert J. Wicks
For almost thirty years, Availability: The Challenge and the Gift of Being Present has been a trusted guide for cultivating openness and being present to God, self, and others. In this new edition, Robert J. Wicks describes availability as a challenging but spiritually rewarding way to live a more balanced life.
Drawing insights from his spiritual mentors Henri Nouwen and Thomas Merton, Wicks shows how freely entering into the turmoil and joy of other people’s lives can lead to deeper self-knowledge and a powerful encounter with Christ.
In this simple, accessible book written in his characteristic warm and direct style, Wicks shows how self-awareness, compassion for others, and prayer are but different turns on the same road of finding and living the Truth. Wicks looks at the three dimensions of spirituality through the lens of availability. Looking first at self-awareness, he offers brief chapters on forgiveness, clarity, and the uniqueness of each person. In part two, he examines availability to others as a twofold challenge: negotiating the difficulties inherent in relationships and entering into others’ pain. In part three, Wicks explores availability to God, focusing on letting go and experiencing him.