The view from the Christmas meal with extended family included a tall hardwood tree. On a crisp and clear day, it stood defiantly alone for all to see. Alone, it had faced the seasons and the outcomes that followed. In the current season, the green leaves of summer have passed. What remains is the resilient hope of a sprint to come. I paused, thinking of those before me who held on to their trust in Divinity through life’s highs and lows, times of celebrations, and periods of darkness. “They were protected from lions, fires, and sword thrusts, turned disadvantage to advantage, won battles, routed alien armies.” (Hebrews 11.34)
Life does not discriminate. Across the decades, I have not found a correlation between life’s extremes and an individual’s wealth, status, or power. Disease touches everyone. Death comes to all. Pain is personal and shared. We celebrate together and alone. Life, for better and worse, is the glue that brings us together as a community. Time reminds me that I am part of a more significant story that involves every human being.
My thirsts and longings are rarely unique; they are shared with others. The longing to know one is accepted and belongs is universal. The hope, angst, and fulfilment brought by love touches us in all its forms. Beauty touches every soul. Inspiration gives birth to hope within your heart and mine. The shared threads are more important than our differences as a family and community. In recognising our shared heritage and opportunity, I rediscover past and present relationships and their importance in my life.
In walking together, everything about life improves. The embrace of an old friend reminds me of love endurance. The voice of one several time zones away brings renewed intimacy and warmth. Reconnecting in any form is a step forward. I am the product of yesterday. I can make a difference. Whatever my future might be will be shaped and defined by my actions with the moment I have now.
Today is an unwritten chapter that life has given to me. Carpe diem!
