July 23, 2023 – A

Black and White 12/06/2017 Oil Paint Rendered
Our place is to do what is ours to do,
what is at hand
and needs to be done.

"Anne, eat your breakfast,
Dan, take your medicine, 
Life goes on,
I forget just why"
(Edna St. Vincent Millay).

It is incumbent upon us 
to live out our roles,
to play our parts,
within the circumstances
that enfold us,
as though it matters.

This is our covenant with one another,
to treat each person,
and each moment,
as though they matter.

Play Frisbee with the dog,
rock the baby to sleep,
fold the clothes,
water the flowers...

Meet the circumstances
as they need to be met,
smiling,
glad to do it,
happy to be here,
a part of the daily routine
of meeting the day.

And when, at the point of death,
the bright light encompasses us,
we don't hold back!
But leap into the light 
with all our might!

Having done what was ours to do
with all our might,
holding nothing back,
we carry it forward
to meet the light!

A life well done
is done well all the way!

–0–

Published by jimwdollar

I'm retired, and still finding my way--but now, I don't have to pretend that I know what I'm doing. I retired after 40.5 years as a minister in the Presbyterian Church USA, serving churches in Louisiana, Mississippi and North Carolina. I graduated from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, in Austin, Texas, and Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. My wife, Judy, and I have three daughters, five granddaughters, one great granddaughter, and a great grandson on the way, within about ten minutes from where we live--and are enjoying our retirement as much as we have ever enjoyed anything.

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