Yesterday I was sitting in my favorite coffee-bakery store ‘noodling.’ What might I write about for my final entry for 2016? I held this question and settled in with my coffee and bagel. I opened one of my email accounts in preparation of sending my brother, Steve, his morning email. I found an email in my inbox. It was from my friend John. As I recall, John and I met in 1997. John is a remarkable man – I invite you, gentle reader, to check out ‘Creative Leaps’ [www.creativeleaps.org] and learn more about John, his colleagues and the ways they serve using their musical gifts and talents.
John sent me one of his ‘favorite pieces to sing.’ I read it, reflected a bit, read it again and then it occurred to me that for my final blog posting this year I will invite you, gentle reader, to reflect upon ‘CALL.’
For me, an ‘Invitation’ requires choice. So, in order to provide you, gentle reader, with choice I have decided to provide you with a number of quotations or brief statements (mine). The theme is ‘CALL.’ The following occur in no particular order, except the first entry and the last. I decided to first offer us the song that John sent me and then to close with the words of a ‘Call-Follower’ – Gandhi. Hopefully, gentle reader, you will find an entry or two that will provide the seeds for deep reflection – if not today, or soon, perhaps one or two of these reflective-seeds will lie dormant within until you decide to nurture them into life.
Thanks, my friend, John, for providing me yesterday morning the initial ‘seed.’
‘CALL’ – AN INVITATION FOR REFLECTION:
The Call
Come, my way, my truth, my life
Such a way as gives us breath
Such a truth as mends all strife
Such a life as killeth death.
Come, my light, my feast, my strength
Such a light as shows a feast
Such a feast as mends in length
Such a strength as makes his guest.
Come, my joy, my love, my heart
Such a joy as none can move
Such a love as none can part
Such a heart as joys in love. (1593-1633)
George Herbert (text), R. Vaugn Williams (music)
The place God calls you to IS THE PLACE where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet. –Frederick Buechner: ‘Wishful Thinking’
YOUR CALL: The real question about your acceptance is not whether your life will be viewed a ‘Call,’ but whether your life will be viewed as ‘Your Call’.
YOUR ‘CALL’ – GUIDING QUESTIONS – Nosce te ipsum = Know Thyself! [The Oracle]
- Who am I ?
- Who am I choosing to become?
- Why am I choosing this becoming?
- What are my gifts, talents, skills, abilities and capacities that I bring and use in order to address the needs that exist in ‘my’ and ‘the’ world?
TWO FEARS I HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO ‘MY CALL’:
- Fears about myself that prevent me from doing my best work
- Fears about my reception by others that prevents me from doing my own work
We convince by our presence. –Walt Whitman
One of the truest tests of a ‘Call’ rooted in integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised!
Few are guilty, but all are responsible! –Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
Be not afraid of life! Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help you create the fact. –William James
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. –Plato
Once we have fully embraced our ‘Call,’ the words of Louis Aragon become even more meaningful: From now on there won’t be a gesture, nor a blink of the eye which doesn’t commit me irrevocably, which doesn’t’ change the course of my life.’
LIVE as if you were to die tomorrow. LEARN as if you were to live forever. –Gandhi
When it comes to my ‘Call,’ Tolstoy’s wisdom distilled is helpful [my thanks to my friend, Tamyra, for this distillation]:
- Remember, there is only one important time, and that time is now.
- Remember, the most important one is always the one you are with.
- Remember, the most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side.
‘Call’ provides our life with meaning and as Viktor Frankl reminds us: More people today have the means to live, but no meaning to live for. Frankl then continues: We can discover the meaning in life in three different ways: (1) by doing a deed; (2) by experiencing a value; (3) by suffering.
‘Call’ does not make the person, it reveals the person to himself or herself.
My life is my message. –Gandhi