In this third stage, we do the work of growing up. We consciously bury our illusions but retain open hearts. We don’t impose an unrealistic standard on someone or the community but accept the mixture that is to be found within and between us. In this stage, we resist idealization and pursue intimacy—an intimacy formed by grace, love, and forgiveness. We begin to love as God loves us: without illusion. God sees us as we truly are and holds us close.
