Easter Epiphany

It is Easter! Let us arise
And find our better selves
That inside us reside.
Let us throw off the greed
And the jealousy
And find the people
Which we're meant to be.
Let us live in the glow
Of Infinite Love
Uniting earth with
The grace from above.

A Legacy of Love

The House by the Side of the Road
by Sam Walter Foss (1858-1911)

There are hermit
souls that live withdrawn
In the peace of their self-content;
There are souls, like stars, that dwell apart,
In a fellowless firmament;
There are pioneer souls that blaze their paths
Where highways never ran;-
But let me live by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

Let me live in a house
by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by-
The men who are good and the men who are bad,
As good and as bad as I.
I would not sit in the scorner’s seat,
Or hurl the cynic’s ban;-
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

I see from my house
by the side of the road,
By the side of the highway of life,
The men who press with the ardor of hope,
The men who are faint with the strife.
But I turn not away from their smiles nor their tears-
Both parts of an infinite plan;-
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

I know there are brook-gladdened
meadows ahead
And mountains of wearisome height;
That the road passes on through the long afternoon
And stretches away to the night.
But still I rejoice when the travelers rejoice,
And weep with the strangers that moan,
Nor live in my house by the side of the road
Like a man who dwells alone.

Let me live in my
house by the side of the road
Where the race of men go by-
They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,
Wise, foolish- so am I.
Then why should I sit in the scorner’s seat
Or hurl the cynic’s ban?-
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

I'm not sure that when Walter Foss wrote that poem, he was talking about living on Highway 68. Charlie loved to tell how when he moved to Coker Creek, you could set up a card table in the middle of Highway 68 and play all day without being disturbed. His constant complaint was about all the trucks and crotch rockets barreling past his place at breakneck speed. I'm not sure what upset him most about that the fact that Bootsie, his cat, couldn't roam free, or the fact that none of those barreling past his place ever stopped to say hello.

It didn't matter what time of day or night a person drove into his driveway, Charlie greeted that person with a smile and a hug...and a story. Charlie had stories about everything from his childhood adventures, to rum running, to religion. He said what was on his heart and mind, and lived what he believed. He was the only person I ever knew who actually thanked me for arguing with him without getting (in his words)"all pissy."

One of his favorite sayings was, "A hypocrite I'm not; a Christian, I am." We know that Jesus' time on the earth was spent collecting people, feeding them, loving them, and leading them on the road to salvation. Charlie lived his life doing similar things. He seemed to know everything about whatever he loved, and couldn't wait to take you along to enjoy what he loved with him.

If ever one wanted a tour guide, Charlie was your man. It was often a wild ride taking a tour with Charlie. He'd drive these curves with one hand on the wheel and one eye on the road. How we ever stayed on the tarmac is a wonder to me, as he was usually turned toward the person to whom he was talking. Now Charlie is, I'm sure, giving tours of heaven. I figure that The Almighty needed a great tour guide who could make getting to heaven look like a fun ride.

We all leave a legacy when we physically leave this earth. Some leave great fortunes to continue the work of their favorite charities; some leave laughter and love. Love is the legacy of our friend Charlie. He truly lived on the side of the road and was a friend to every man, woman, and child that crossed his path. I'm so glad to have been one of those people.

Just for Today

Just for today, I'll not worry;
Just for today, I'll trust;
Just for today, I'll be patient.
Today, I'll live just for today.

The Gift of Grandchildren

To have children who are parents is a gift of grace that surpasses all others. Only then do we see our values in action as they struggle with the stresses of balancing faith, family, friends and bread winning. As our third grandchild reaches her teen years today, I am awed by what fine young women and man the children of my children seem to be becoming.

It is humbling to watch and try not to worry or interfere. These are the times when prayer and patience can lead to the peace that is necessary for being truly present for the young families. My prayer is that I not be selfish or petty, and that I do all in my power never to take from them more than I was able to give.

The Path to Peace

Many people of my acquaintance use the terms "sympathy," "empathy," and "compassion" interchangeably. I believe that they have different meanings and applications. It seems to me that compassion is entering into, or sharing, a feeling with another; this is accompanied by a willingness to act. Empathy is the sharing of feeling with a desire to absorb some of the energy, but not to necessarily act. Sympathy is the projecting of one's own feeling on another.

If I have compassion, I too have an emotional investment in the resolution of another's problem or feelings. I will look for ways to share the other's burden. When I empathize, I am emotionally present for the other. In sympathy, I simply acknowledge that you have a given feeling. I like to think that compassion is a sharing of the love of the Infinite in all of us; that we are all bound together by the same spark of creation. I believe that what hurts one bit of creation hurts all of us, and that what heals one soul heals a bit of all.

Many also seem to loosely use "motivation" and "manipulation." My yardstick for these terms is how they are used to effect the one who is being led to act. If I encourage action of another with selfish motives on my part, that is manipulation. If I support action for the betterment of others, that is motivation.

What does all this have to do with faith? I believe that to become one again in Eternity, we must seek to be more compassionate, even of those we feel are our enemies. We must also ask ourselves if our leaders are acting as motivating forces or simply manipulating us for their own selfish ends.

Compassion is the only known path to peace. The Buddha, Abraham, Moses, The Christ all sought to motivate their followers to live lives of compassion in order to promote community (unity with others) -- "on earth as it is in Heaven."

Compassionate Conflict Resolution

We, as animals, have two natural responses to conflict, fight and flight. As humans, we have another option, which is coping. But who among us is taught a system of conflict resolution? To be fully human we must retrain ourselves to seek peaceful co-existence.

What good does it do us to take all conflict to the courts where the opponents have to swear on a book that may or may not be sacred to the swearer? We claim to be a predominantly Judeo-Christian country, with the greatest emphasis on being Christian. I'd like to see a new vocation come out of all this claiming of Christianity in our country.

We could call it Compassionate Conflict Resolution. This would be a field that could intervene when folks of different faiths and value systems have issues that they want peacefully resolved. Whoever took up this profession would have to be willing to familiarize themselves with the values and belief systems that drive all parties involved in the conflict, sort of like our secretary of state must do on the world stage. The arbiter would also have to reveal to all parties the value system from which she or he hails.

We could run these "courts" sort of like the Supreme court, but with fewer "judges." Each party to the conflict could have one representative witness and an uninvolved resolution specialist would be the arbiter of the dispute. Witnesses could be called, if necessary. This, of course, entails the ability to articulate one's wants and needs. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we cared enough to do this?

If we want instruction for this system of conflict it's all laid out in the Torah, the New Testament Bible, and in the Koran. Why aren't we willing to use this system?

Jesus' Life of Love

This is the holiest season in Christianity, and one of the holiest in Judaism, when both faiths are celebrating deliverance from evil earthly forces. As a Roman Catholic child this was the season in which I was taught all about the passion of Jesus. Unfortunately, I was taught more about the big drama of his scourging and crucifixion than I was taught about his passion for his people while walked the earth in the flesh.

I think we miss the point; the true sacrifice isn't the death, it's the heroism that leads to that death that is the greatest sacrifice. Many people are willing to put themselves in harm's way for those they love. Look at the sacrifices truly loving parents, caregivers, teachers, health care professionals, and members of the armed forces make in the line of duty. But to live a full life out among all the sin without once falling? How many of our lives would withstand the scrutiny that Jesus' life continues to command? The most remarkable thing about Jesus, in my opinion, was his example of a loving, sinless life on the same planet that I inhabit.

I believe that Jesus wanted us to realize that we are all God's children; that salvation is a choice, not a birthright. Why else would any of us have been born? I believe that his passion for all people led him to condense the many rules in the Torah and Old Testament down to two -- love God and love God's children. I believe that he came to show us, by his example, the way to peace with Our Creator and of harmonious relationships with our fellow humans. That example, by design, coincides with the way of Abraham and Moses. I believe the Holy Spirit he left with us is the "God" spark in each of us and in all creation.

I believe that we humans were still needing outward signs of human sacrifice to God, so Jesus was willing to be our scapegoat. I believe that what Jesus really wants us to take away from his life and death is the joy that comes with sharing our loving lives with others, The Spirit of Loving Unity.This Easter, I think I'll observe the stations of all my spiritual ancestors' lives.