The meeting shifted from one day to the next, from the first venue to another. What started out as a gathering of a few had morphed into a gathering of old friends and new. As I waiting after arriving early, I tried to imagine who was going to arrive. As with many expectations, reality was very different! In short, I was surprised in several good ways.
One of the bigger surprises of the afternoon was the sense that we had met. While I am not 100% sure my sense is accurate, the awareness opened a willingness within me to discover ties between us. I look back now, realizing that these ties are ones that I want in my day. In a chronological order of awareness, they include the following.
A desire to listen and observe. It would have been natural for the host to share his perspectives and insights. Instead, our host let the conversation unfold naturally. He participated without the need to dominate. He had a natural and comfortable way of listening. He casual demeanor put everyone at easy. What started out with clear waves of silence, soon developed into a flowing dialogue between old friends and new, anticipated subjects mixed in with surprising twists and turns.
An interest in others. As I explored old emails and background information later that day, I realized that he had not shared his accolades or achievements. In replaying the conversations, I could see how he had drawn out the stories of others. Those present had shared more than they realized.
A sense of enduring hope that comes from compassion, community and the confidence in the role Divinity continues to play in our lives. An awareness a single meeting I attended several years ago began to emerge, with our host, a bit younger then, came to mind. I am not sure he was that player. What is consistent is the shared belief in a God founded in acceptance and forgiveness, “the very statute he established with Jacob, the eternal Covenant with Israel,” (Psalm 105.10)
It was a great afternoon.
