When it rains....
A week ago last Wednesday, you may remember that we had a pretty significant thunderstorm. It hit an hour or so after I had left for Buffalo. There must have been a lightning strike near the church or on the power lines because the parish suffered some significant damage. Several pieces of equipment on the parish computer network were ruined, 4 phones were fried and the motherboard of the panel which controls the lighting in our church was ruined. Wow! I’ll keep you posted, but I fear the repair bill for all of these things will be substantial.
On things and memories….
Last week my Mom said to me “my mother gave me this tablecloth Rob, and Daddy’s mother gave him that bookshelf when he went to college. Don’t give that to the Good Will. That was my bible in school.” As I looked around, I saw that our house was filled with lots of little things which at first glance didn’t seem to have much value. However, when you listen, almost each and every one of those things has a memory and a loved one attached to it. Sometimes it almost seems that when you give something so precious away, you are also giving away someone you loved or someone who loved you.
God has been good to us. We found a small senior apartment where there are lots of activities and seem to be friendly people. We are blessed because we can afford it. We are blessed to have so many wonderful memories. The hard part is letting go. I have come to understand that older people have to do an awful lot of letting go. They let go of their independence, and some have to surrender their health. Many or most mourn the loss of a loved one. When they give up their car, they no longer have the simple freedom of walking around a drug store and looking at stuff. Even if the person who brought them is very patient, our seniors worry about imposing on them or taking advantage of the good will of their drivers. I know my Mom does.
Last week, when I was in Buffalo, we succeeded in emptying out one room. We bought some new furniture for the senior apartment and we were able to get the house up for sale. Mom’s car is fixed and she now has air conditioning. Yes, we accomplished a lot; but before I left for Buffalo, one of our very wise parishioners said something very important to me, “Fr. Robert, be sure to listen to each story about each item before you give it away.” I really appreciated this incredible advice. It could not have come at a more appropriate time. As I type these thoughts to you, I’m sitting in a chair in our living room in Buffalo, and as I get ready to return to Connecticut, I have come to see that with all that we accomplished, the most important thing I did was respectfully and patiently listen to Mom’s stories. Every moment with our Senior Citizens is a gift. May we treasure them in our hearts always.
OK High School Graduates…
I hope that you can make our annual off to college/work dinner. Last year we had a wonderful time and it was a great chance for those who came to see/catch up with their friends before they moved on. Please consider attending. You won’t be disappointed. The food is always incredible and the company (your friends) is worth the time spent. Our dinner is this Thursday, August 2nd, in the Church Hall. Hope to see you there.