Sunday Musings – A pocket full of stones
I feel very blessed after having spent several hours last evening with friends – one very close and one who has been one of those one seldom sees but who quietly and lovingly is there on the periphery of one’s life and occasionally meets one in the center. The other has been a close and dear friend since we both moved to the Wheeling area to work many years ago. We three spent time at the holiday show at Phipps Conservatory, ate a lovely dinner at the Whitfield Restaurant located in the Ace Hotel which was formerly a YMCA in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh, and were entertained by the thought provoking and amazing production of the opera The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat produced by Karla Boos at the Quantum Theatre. During the drive and dinner, we luxuriated in the exchange of information, thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment.
Sunday morning is my time to reflect on the past week. In addition to last evening, the blessings this week included: final closing on sale of Florida villa, resumption of volunteer work with a local treatment program, a well-attended city council meeting where many community members gathered to respectfully share opinions about a proposed ordinance, a lovely telephone visit with one of my favorite people, work I enjoy, and First Friday at an art gallery.
The week was relatively free of the fear of what is happening politically although I am aware that I need to continue to search for positive ways to continue to express my concerns.
I read the editorial page of the local newspaper this morning, The Wheeling Intelligencer. I was again reminded of our habit of throwing stones so that we might shatter the mirror which is reflected by those we judge. When I hear the opinions of those who seemingly find it easy to label the deserving and the undeserving, I feel a tightness in my chest; a sense of dread that I will be the next object of such labeling. This morning two articles caught my attention: a former police officer accused of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student at a school at which he was a security guard and a man convicted and sentenced to fifty years in prison for sexually abusing two young children. The same person responded to both stories in a very arrogant, judgmental tone. Although each story was fairly reported and did not contain that judgmental tone I also did not read/hear a sense of compassion underlying the reporter’s words for either man. Once again, I wondered if any of us really believes that anyone sits down one morning and prays or hopes for a compulsion or the temporary kidnapping of one’s heart and mind by a sexual urge or desire so strong that one acts in spite of consequences to the child or other person. I wonder if anyone really believes that any of us are immune to acting in a manner which is harmful to a child or some other person whom we need to treat with love and respect. Surely not and, yet, often I find that it is easy for us humans to act as if we are immune. I am again reminded of spiritual teachers who suggest that the person “without sin throw the first stone” or the words of Bryan Stevenson “every person is more than the worst thing they’ve ever done.” Many other teachers have expressed similar words of wisdom. Perhaps….
Written December 4, 2016
I feel very blessed after having spent several hours last evening with friends – one very close and one who has been one of those one seldom sees but who quietly and lovingly is there on the periphery of one’s life and occasionally meets one in the center. The other has been a close and dear friend since we both moved to the Wheeling area to work many years ago. We three spent time at the holiday show at Phipps Conservatory, ate a lovely dinner at the Whitfield Restaurant located in the Ace Hotel which was formerly a YMCA in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh, and were entertained by the thought provoking and amazing production of the opera The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat produced by Karla Boos at the Quantum Theatre. During the drive and dinner, we luxuriated in the exchange of information, thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment.
Sunday morning is my time to reflect on the past week. In addition to last evening, the blessings this week included: final closing on sale of Florida villa, resumption of volunteer work with a local treatment program, a well-attended city council meeting where many community members gathered to respectfully share opinions about a proposed ordinance, a lovely telephone visit with one of my favorite people, work I enjoy, and First Friday at an art gallery.
The week was relatively free of the fear of what is happening politically although I am aware that I need to continue to search for positive ways to continue to express my concerns.
I read the editorial page of the local newspaper this morning, The Wheeling Intelligencer. I was again reminded of our habit of throwing stones so that we might shatter the mirror which is reflected by those we judge. When I hear the opinions of those who seemingly find it easy to label the deserving and the undeserving, I feel a tightness in my chest; a sense of dread that I will be the next object of such labeling. This morning two articles caught my attention: a former police officer accused of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student at a school at which he was a security guard and a man convicted and sentenced to fifty years in prison for sexually abusing two young children. The same person responded to both stories in a very arrogant, judgmental tone. Although each story was fairly reported and did not contain that judgmental tone I also did not read/hear a sense of compassion underlying the reporter’s words for either man. Once again, I wondered if any of us really believes that anyone sits down one morning and prays or hopes for a compulsion or the temporary kidnapping of one’s heart and mind by a sexual urge or desire so strong that one acts in spite of consequences to the child or other person. I wonder if anyone really believes that any of us are immune to acting in a manner which is harmful to a child or some other person whom we need to treat with love and respect. Surely not and, yet, often I find that it is easy for us humans to act as if we are immune. I am again reminded of spiritual teachers who suggest that the person “without sin throw the first stone” or the words of Bryan Stevenson “every person is more than the worst thing they’ve ever done.” Many other teachers have expressed similar words of wisdom. Perhaps….
Written December 4, 2016
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