Time to reflect, respect and recover.

250412

Tonight holds special meaning.

Once a year, my people gather to remember the death of a dear friend long ago. It’s always a sacred event, and it pleases me deeply to see how many go to great lengths to be here.

There have been a lot of deaths for my family lately, but remembering this one has the opposite effect. It's invigorating. Inspiring.

One friend who can no longer walk, has donned her finest dress and hat. Bright green and shiny. A small green bow tied to the handle of her wheelchair is a testament to how hard she worked to put it all together.

Another has chosen to wear a tuxedo tonight. An unusual choice, but I can tell he feels so fine in his armor. The power of clothes.

I see a lot of faces tonight that have been missing from my life for a while. It fills me with warmth. A few, I have avoided, but I am glad they are here nonetheless. This isn't a party for me and respect and love dictate welcoming everyone.

My wife and I manage to visit two gatherings tonight. One early one for my Spanish-speaking family and a later event for English. We have not done this before but with my wife's mother as a fresh widow, we don't want her to be alone... well, without family by her side. She can hardly be alone with 170 of her friends in one place.

There is a dynamism to the Spanish people. English crowds can manifest this too... but in general, there is a quiet subdued nature to the English. It likely boils down to the language and my poor mastery (loosely used) of it.

I do pick up a few new words tonight: cordera: lamb; rescate: ransom; sangre: blood. It is hard because native speakers have no mercy for the poor student.

What a delight to be united with my friends. Not just here, but all over the world. There are particularly special minds and hearts that I think of through the evening. My love transcends time and space and I pray they can feel my energy divided for them. Certainly we all feel the presence of the one for whom we are gathered to honor.

What a night. It is a recovery in a way. And an introduction to healing and reclamation.

The sacred lingers. And tomorrow, we carry it forward — a little lighter, a little more whole.

#essay #spritual #biblereading #memoir #redemptionarc #100DaysToOffload #Writing

Luke 22:66-71

And when it became day, the assembly of elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they led him into their Sanʹhe·drin hall and said: 67 “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them: “Even if I told you, you would not believe it at all. 68 Moreover, if I questioned you, you would not answer.6 9 However, from now on the Son of man will be seated at the powerful right hand of God.” 70 At this they all said: “Are you, therefore, the Son of God?” He said to them: “You yourselves are saying that I am.” 71 They said: “Why do we need further testimony? For we ourselves have heard it out of his own mouth.”

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“May your seas be wide enough for wonder, your harbor always waiting, and your light never fail when another soul is searching.” – The Lantern Keeper