August 17, 2023 – A

Mane Canoe 09/24/2012 Oil Paint Rendered — Indian Creek, Deer Isle, Penobscot Bay
Who is better off because of you?
In what ways?

How does your generosity and kindness,
compassion and grace,
manifest themselves in the lives of others?
In the life of someone else?

Who do you think about 
other than yourself?

Who are the people who are safe 
in your presence?

Who do you care for?
Protect?
Defend?
Befriend?

I think these are differentiating questions
in the lives of people worldwide. 
They separate us,
set us apart.
Declare who we are
and who we are not.
Say more about us 
than anything else
that might identify us
to one another
in ways that matter.

We can't be somebody
without being somebody
in the life of someone else.

We cannot matter
without mattering to someone
other than ourselves--
without doing it to matter.

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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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