The Key I have found that many of my defenses are there for emotional protection, not created by some act of the will to defend myself, but a natural, often-needed defense, for safety. I also have come to understand, that one great cause of suffering comes from letting others into one’s heart, to move beyond simple caring toward empathy, and compassion. I still take baby steps. So yes, as I age, I tend to see what keeps me from being more loving and empathic, and compassionate, toward others. I chain myself, enclose myself, without a key that I cannot create on my own. Sin can also be a cage, a prison, which is built not by the will, but by a fear of being overcome and destroyed. Grace often works in secret, but it is there that we find the key to unlock the door of our inner prison.-Br.MD
