Aug 13, 2023

Living in Unconditional Love (127)

 

“Love flows from God to humans without effort:

As a bird glides through the air without moving its wings-

Thus, they go wherever they wish united in body and soul,

Yet separate in form.”

–Mechtild of Magdeburg

 

My wife Eileen died from esophageal cancer in February 2020 one year after being diagnosed, 60 years after we met on Long Island. Then my brother Tom became ill (not COVID), and I spent a total of six weeks being with him in Ohio, but he died in October 2020. My sister-in-law Sue Mahoney died from Covid-19 in January 2021. On top of it all stood the pandemic, locking everyone down almost two years.

08/13/2023                             This has been a quiet week, even though I had my company meetings and other appointments, it was still quiet. It rained several times, including a heavy downpour accompanied by peels of thunder today (Saturday) even though it looks quiet outside as I peer out in the evening. The garden is quieting down and only a few daylilies are still in bloom plus the few garden lilies that survived. Very pretty though, and worth a walk around in the evening.

I believe my daughter Karen is still with her sister Maureen, and when I talked with them earlier this week she seems to be recovering from her bout with infection. Life moves on, and she is fortunate to have family close by to help in such emergencies. Hopefully she will recover sufficiently to be able to go back to her apartment and her remaining dog., who she has had for many years. Rosie, the dog that died around her birthday, was already quite old when Karen took her in and was a breeding dog so was pretty worn by the time Karen received her a couple of years ago.

I watch in dismay that one whole political party seems to be based on hate, with each presidential candidate trying to outdo the other in spouting hatred for various peoples. And my greatest dismay is that so many seem to be going along and cheering them on. Our nation is no longer considered a bastion of democracy by the rest of the world, and according to the polls they have a chance of winning and destroying what our country has proclaimed for over 200 years. In return, we literally seem to be shooting ourselves in the foot, with gun deaths approaching 50,000 annually. We have the lowest longevity of any developed nation by several years, fueled by drug and gun deaths and needless Covid deaths. Violence is front and center in our lives, and there is nothing in the future that would slow that down. Since this is an ongoing series of events over the next year and more, I will probably touch on this even more in the future. I find it quite depressing.

I support through various charities the effort to slow the carnage. I will not have a gun in my house as a matter of principle. I have nothing against hunting, and support ways of upholding that while trying to limit weapons of war from civilian use.

I pray daily for our country, as while the underlying tensions have always been there, they were considered something to be a bit ashamed of and rarely talked about. Today people seem to be proud to proclaim that they hate this group or that, even based purely on the color of their skin. This has reached a point that is similar to Hitler’s proclamation of the superiority of Aran bloodline is once more being given nodding approval from some very wealthy individuals.

Perhaps things will have to become worse before they can reverse, and we can become what God has called us to be – to love another as we love ourselves.

Meditation

Gentle One, at my age I hand all over to You to support those attempting to bring Your love into our world. I wish I could do more, but I no longer have that ability. I am grateful for all the love You have showered upon me: the gift of Eileen for 60 years and gift of wonderful children and now grandchildren and the many friends and other relatives who are a delight. I ask Your forgiveness for the many times I have not done what I could or chose to do otherwise, but I rest in Your love and tenderness. Protect my friends and family each day.