The Kulfi dessert store was a trip through childhood symbols. From modes of transportation to signs and wall warnings, I retraced my steps. The warning against signs on the wall was especially familiar during elections. I wondered, then and now, about a missed opportunity. What if the sign asked for beautiful decorations and calls to action? One would see and hear calls to care and kindness as an alternative to the public aspiration of nothingness.
The shift from avoiding the negative to reaching for the positive is subtle. Often, the results of either action are similar. Experience reminds me that it is easier to go into action than it is to try and not do something. As I look forward to today, I find myself holding lesson reminders.
Gifts are wasted until one puts them into action. Even as I write these words, the faces of those who have gifted me with their presence, care, compassion, friendship, and more come to mind. I know I did not deserve any of the gifts. There was no merit involved! In a perfect world, I would be the “Parched ground that soaks up the rain and then produces an abundance of carrots and corn for its gardener gets God’s ‘Well done!’” (Hebrews 6.7)
Gifts come in moments of pain and darkness as well as in celebration and hope. It can be difficult to see Life’s gifts during periods of darkness and difficulty. I close my eyes and hear the voice of a friend saying “I am on the way. See you soon. Let’s walk together.” As valuable as gifts are, in times of uncertainty they are priceless.
Gifts point to the past and the future. I see the face behind the gift and remember our shared memories. In resting in this, I hear a call to the future. It is a voice inviting me to bring hope and presence to each moment I have. In this turn, I am reminded that the gift was never the end. It was a beginning. A step in caring to make a difference.
