For The Long Haul…
It seemed so odd to me…I was clearly in shock from my father’s death just an hour or so earlier when our home began to fill with neighbors and friends and an overabundance of food. At 13 years old this was my first encounter with someone close to me dying. As such I was unaware of how those around the deceased responded. And then what felt like just as quickly as the crowd had congregated, our home was empty with a kitchen full of food.
In the ensuing days preparations were made, family began to gather, a huge funeral followed by a packed house of folks – this time less somber if not almost festive. And just like before, the house was empty and the kitchen was filled to the brim with food…and that was the end.
My father’s untimely death transformed my life in enumerable ways. One of those, which has only become more apparent as life has gone on, is an awareness of how challenging it is for us to provide long haul, sustainable support for folks. In the moment of incident many of us show up and surround those whose lives have just been significantly impacted. A couple of days, a week, a month later most of time people have moved on.
Good friends of mine have endured multiple hurricanes. One of the things they have shared with me about their experience is while they are appreciative of the initial support they long for more folks to stick around for the long haul on the road to recovery.
Amidst a time of significant and ongoing persecution Paul wrote to the faith community in Galatia, “Let us not become weary in doing good…” (Galatians 6:9). It’s so important to be there for those who are in the midst of great struggle. Yet what really brings hope and healing is knowing that we have companions who will not grow weary but rather continue to walk with us and support us for the long haul.
“May I be a guard for those who need protection
A guide for those on the path
A boat, a raft, a bridge for those who wish to cross the flood
May I be a lamp in the darkness
A resting place for the weary
A healing medicine for all who are sick
A vase of plenty, a tree of miracles
And for the boundless multitudes of living beings
May I bring sustenance and awakening
Enduring like the earth and sky
Until all beings are freed from sorrow
And all are awakened.” – Shantideva
BP