Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid or terrified
for the Lord your God goes with you
and will never leave or forsake you.
--Moses to the people of Israel (Deuteronomy 31: 6)
We must learn to let go as easily as we grasp
or we will find our hands full and our minds empty.
Though every hello is the beginning of a goodbye, do not lose heart;
for every goodbye may also be the beginning of another hello.
--Leo Buscaglia (The Way of the Bull), p. 63
It's time for a weekend, but let me share one more “hello-goodbye-hello” story that continues to recharge my life. Our tour guide in Rwanda was Suzanne, a charismatic Kenyan who is forging her career in this post-genocidal culture. She is powerful and articulate. As we were preparing to leave Rwanda, I had learned that Suzanne could use some rechargeable batteries and so I gave her four of my batteries, wishing her well. She was overwhelmed with my apparently generous gift and reached into her pocket to give me some Rwandan coins as a return gift. None of us had seen any coins the entire week! She explained that the coins are no longer used, but are valued for collection. “Share them with your grandchildren,” she said.
I can't wait to share the stories of Suzanne – the hello-goodbye-hello – as my grandchildren grow to appreciate the journeys of the heart. Hope you enjoy your weekend.
A prayer: God, keep me receptive. Amen.
--Ben Keckler
10.17.08
No comments:
Post a Comment