Learning from Another
“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God,
When shall I come and behold the face of God?”
--An old song (Psalm 42:2)
Over the years we meet people who have a profound impact on our lives. Having spent time listening to Henri Nouwen in a conference and having sat at dinner with him, he feels like a friend, but a better term is a brief acquaintance. Henri was walking to work one day and was struck by the mirror of a passing motorist. His injuries took him to the door of death, but he did recover and wrote a wonderful reflection on life and death. The book is titled Beyond the Mirror.
The rhythms of the past week have brought me near to a number of folks who are reflecting on the end of life, grief, loss, and recovery from serious illnesses or diseases. For whatever reason, Henri came to mind. The following excerpt, from the chapter on recovery:
“The way my friends reacted to my recovery caused me to reflect on the way life and death are perceived in our society. Unanimously, they congratulated me on my restoration to health and expressed their gratitude that I was doing so well again. Although I was deeply grateful for the attention and affection, the encounter with God in my hours near death made me wonder whether being ‘better again’ was indeed the best thing for me.”
Maybe these reflective words from a fellow journeyer can help in understanding what it feels the songwriter was wrestling with centuries ago. Have a good day and enjoy every minute of life.
A prayer for today: Holy God, help and guide me today. Amen.
--Ben Keckler
03.09.10
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