Sunday musings – May 7, 2017
I am well aware or at least cognizant of the fact that truly sad events have continued to dominate the lives on many people this past week. Friends that I know have received news of the death of a young person from a drug overdose. Someone emailed me this morning that their doctor had been murdered by their mentally ill daughter. I read this morning that yet another deadlier drug is on the streets and likely to take the lives of many addicts. The violent events in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and many other countries continues. There seem to be no end to the sadness which accompanies us on this life journey. It should not surprise anyone that so many seek the numbness of addiction or bow down to the Gods of stuff, power, sex, or other people, places or things.
In the midst of all this existential angst this week I was shamelessly taking in the love of many friends, some of whom were also biological family members. Although I am sure that daily, throughout the year, I have more than my share of love, this week brought an unusual abundance. Part of the reason for this was that it was my birthday. Yet, some of the gifts just happened to coincide with my birthday week.
Today begins a new week. Earlier this morning I listened, once again, to the podcast of On Being which was a rebroadcast of a conversation between the host Krista Tippett and the poet Marie Howe. Of course, each time I listen to a particular podcast I “hear” something more. This morning I heard Ms. Howe recounting something her beloved, deceased brother had said to her, “Here is what you have been waiting for.” She was recounting this as an example of the Buddha-like wisdom of her brother John from the time he was a child until the time he died in his 28th year. He, as seems true for her adopted daughter, seemed to enter this life journey knowing that all we needed to do was to show up. As is true for many of us her brother did not always embrace what he knew and became addicted to alcohol. Yet, he was the first in his family to get into recovery and to then stay in recovery until he died.
Celebrations of birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, and other particularly significant life events are wonderful. Despite being somewhat embarrassed by all love given to me this week, I was humbled and grateful. Yet, as I wrote a couple of days ago, most time is ordinary time. It is the ordinary time for which I am invited to again show up. I am invited to settle back into the normal routine while doing my best to accept that now is the here that I have been waiting for.
That now will bring laughter, sensations of touch, taste, smell, and sight. It will also bring me in direct contact with the intense pain of much of this life journey – of death, loss. disappointment, seeming betrayal and more. No matter what happens I have the opportunity to experience the joy of giving and receiving love. The love I have received this week can be the bridge which carries me from one “here” to the next “here.”
I have the opportunity to offer the gift of the baskets of love I received this week as a bridge to all I encounter.
Written May 7, 2017
Sunday musings – May 7, 2017
I am well aware or at least cognizant of the fact that truly sad events have continued to dominate the lives on many people this past week. Friends that I know have received news of the death of a young person from a drug overdose. Someone emailed me this morning that their doctor had been murdered by their mentally ill daughter. I read this morning that yet another deadlier drug is on the streets and likely to take the lives of many addicts. The violent events in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and many other countries continues. There seem to be no end to the sadness which accompanies us on this life journey. It should not surprise anyone that so many seek the numbness of addiction or bow down to the Gods of stuff, power, sex, or other people, places or things.
In the midst of all this existential angst this week I was shamelessly taking in the love of many friends, some of whom were also biological family members. Although I am sure that daily, throughout the year, I have more than my share of love, this week brought an unusual abundance. Part of the reason for this was that it was my birthday. Yet, some of the gifts just happened to coincide with my birthday week.
Today begins a new week. Earlier this morning I listened, once again, to the podcast of On Being which was a rebroadcast of a conversation between the host Krista Tippett and the poet Marie Howe. Of course, each time I listen to a particular podcast I “hear” something more. This morning I heard Ms. Howe recounting something her beloved, deceased brother had said to her, “Here is what you have been waiting for.” She was recounting this as an example of the Buddha-like wisdom of her brother John from the time he was a child until the time he died in his 28th year. He, as seems true for her adopted daughter, seemed to enter this life journey knowing that all we needed to do was to show up. As is true for many of us her brother did not always embrace what he knew and became addicted to alcohol. Yet, he was the first in his family to get into recovery and to then stay in recovery until he died.
Celebrations of birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, and other particularly significant life events are wonderful. Despite being somewhat embarrassed by all love given to me this week, I was humbled and grateful. Yet, as I wrote a couple of days ago, most time is ordinary time. It is the ordinary time for which I am invited to again show up. I am invited to settle back into the normal routine while doing my best to accept that now is the here that I have been waiting for.
That now will bring laughter, sensations of touch, taste, smell, and sight. It will also bring me in direct contact with the intense pain of much of this life journey – of death, loss. disappointment, seeming betrayal and more. No matter what happens I have the opportunity to experience the joy of giving and receiving love. The love I have received this week can be the bridge which carries me from one “here” to the next “here.”
I have the opportunity to offer the gift of the baskets of love I received this week as a bridge to all I encounter.
Written May 7, 2017
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