All Beautiful the March of Days

a few days ago, my wife and i received some wonderful news:  our first grandchild had been born!  she is a perfect baby so far as anyone can tell, and she and her mother are doing well.  in the pictures our son sent us, he is happy and proud.  we cannot wait to see her in person and to celebrate with our son and our granddaughter's mother.  we'll go over to their home in a few days to have lunch and to cuddle this precious gift.

we had given up on the idea of having a grandchild when we learned that we would finally become grandparents.  as i think on this new life that has come into the world, i marvel at the miracle of birth.  this is especially true during this time of year, as trees bud out, grass greens, and all the manifestations of spring appear.  soon it will be easter, the christian version of the ancient tale of birth and rebirth.  in my questioning mind, i doubt the story of the founder of our faith rising from the dead.  instead, i think of those things which arise from the earth at this season, of grass growing, flowers poking out of the ground and blooming, of dormant trees coming to life again.  the story of the resurrection is the story of life renewing itself, as it does every spring.

may we rejoice in the miracles of nature and in the birth of new life.  may we be filled with gratitude that the sun warms all of creation and brings about the renewal of spring.  may we see and rejoice in the wonders of each passing season.  may we sense the warmth of love shared with one another and the universe.  shalom. 

Love Is the Theme

a friend sent me a text a few days ago containing an announcement that a former student of mine had been named the superintendent of schools for the district in which i taught for over twenty-five years.  this man, now in his forties, was a wonderful student who loved to sing.  he was a born leader and inspired others to want to be in his company.  he was a fine athlete as well, but he dropped out of sports when they interfered with his participation in the school choir.  he was also a brilliant mathematics student, but he refused to take some of the school's advanced math courses because they were scheduled at the same time as choir, such was his devotion to choir.

he went to college on a choir scholarship and majored in math.  he went on to be a math teacher, then a school principal, then a district-wide administrator, before becoming an assistant superintendent in a large urban school district in a neighboring state.  during this time he earned his masters and doctoral degrees.  now he will come back to his hometown as the district's first black superintendent of schools.  when i sent him a congratulatory note, his reply told me how much his association with me, my family, and the choir had meant to him.  he said that without those influences, he would never have been motivated to achieve what he had.  he grew up in a single-family home, and his mother had a meager income.  he was determined to create a better life for himself and his loved ones, and he did.

i wish i could take credit for his accomplishments, but it was his strength of character and determination that made him what he is.  i am better for having known him and being a part of his life.  may we remember that we touch lives without knowing it.  may we see the value in every human being and do all we can to make their lives better.  may our love and compassion encompass everyone with whom we come in contact, and may we be a source of encouragement.  shalom.

Just the Perfect Blendship

i've never been one to need close friends.  some would say i'm a loner, but my dearest friend is myself.  the time i have to spend with myself is something i treasure.  loneliness and boredom are very foreign to me.  as i've aged, the enjoyment of being with others has grown, though.  we moved to the northern part of our state to be near some close relatives that we've always enjoyed visiting.  after we moved, we spent a great deal of time with them, going on several long trips and getting together often for meals and to play games.  after the first couple of years, though, we didn't get together as often.  their health declined, and they were frequently not well enough to spend time with us, and lengthy trips were out of the question.

to my surprise, i found myself missing our get-togethers and resented their inability to travel and join us for evenings of meals and game-playing.  we've become friends with another couple who are several years older than we are but who are still quite active.  we have much in common, including our political leanings and backgrounds.  i love spending time with them and hope that i can be as vital as they are when i'm their age.  when circumstances prevent our weekly visits, i find myself missing them and looking forward to a time when we can be with one another.

it's so important to have companionship, especially as we age.  the experts tell us that close friendships prolong our lives, and i believe them.  may we all find others with whom we can enjoy ourselves.  may each of us love ourselves and let our love carry over to others.  as we age, may we enlarge our circle of love to embrace as many people as we can.  shalom.

With Each New Day

each day when i awaken, i have a plan for the day.  in a way, that's good.  it enables me to get things done in an orderly fashion and to have a sense of accomplishment at the end of most days .  the downside of this process is that when things don't go according to plan, i'm frustrated and angry.  i feel as if i've failed.  i am trying to  let go of my need to have everything go as i would wish.  while i may still have goals for the day, i want to learn to let the day take its course without me forcing it to follow a preconceived sequence.

for instance, one day i wanted to get some practicing in for next sunday's service and i needed to pick up some things from the grocery store.  later in the day we had friends coming over to play cards and have dinner.  my usual plan for the day would be quite detailed, with breakfast at a precise time, followed by getting dressed for the day, arriving at the church for practice at a pre-determined time, followed by a trip to the grocery store, with my arrival back home by a set time to prepare for our friends' visit.  my pattern for the day would be rigid, and failure to keep to my timetable would result in trying to hurry through the process to stay on schedule.  

instead, i let go of my timetable.  i had a more leisurely morning, yet everything i hoped to accomplish got done.  without the dictatorship of the clock, i enjoyed my day more and went to bed more relaxed and woke up refreshed and ready for another day.  i hope to make each day follow the same pattern.  may we each let go of the unreasonable demands we make on ourselves.  may we allow each day to be what it wants to be.  may we be grateful for the little joys each day has to offer us.  shalom.