I woke up this morning remembering a wedding on a cool, wet fall day eight months ago. It was a wonderful mix of cultures and traditions, pasts, presents, and futures. At the end of two wonderful weeks with friends who became extended family by the time it was all over, I had rediscovered the payoff which comes when one believes in the possibilities of family. I knew it then, however, in hindsight it is even more clear. Life refocused. Values reclarified. Course reset.
The lessons of that time continue to reverberate. It is as if the celebration reached a wonderful high with the celebratory tossing of the groom led by the bride cheering the groomsmen on as the crowd clapped and shouted words of encouragement.
The lessons I hear this morning include the following.
In believing in the possible, everything is within reach. There are days, uncertain and dark, when believing is difficult. It can seem impossible. Yet, within our freedoms, I always rediscover I am the freedom to believe. I may not have the courage to believe. I often struggle to find the energy to believe. Yet, in expressing my belief, my soul experiences light and an unquenchable sense of hope.
Every individual is a child of Divinity. As unfair as life can seem, as a member of Divinity’s family, I have equal access to hope and the freedom to act. In matters of love, expressions of compassion, and acts of charity, there are no barriers. Rich, poor, powerless, powerful, those who are doing good as well as those with a dark past, each has the ability and freedom to act with love.
When I reach for love, love encircles me. The old saying still rings true; “If you embrace the way God does things, there are wonderful payoffs, again without regard to where you are from or how you were brought up.” (Romans 2.10). The first person impacted by my action is my heart and soul. In my decision to embrace love, community, and caring, I rediscover and experience the best within and without.
