Wednesday Night
Standing in the kitchen cooking for a smattering of friends due to arrive within the hour, I am struck by my wealth. Not the kind you put in the bank but the kind you hold in your heart that warms your spirit to the core. Feeling the shiver rolling through my body as my eyes begin to water is an exquisite spasm reminding me of just how important these meetings are to the welfare of my soul.
Those personal connections bring such depth to our lives. Breaking bread, reminiscing over past experiences, sharing lessons learned the hard way, wine flowing as the laughter erupts, these are the moments that make me a grateful man. Unconditional love shared as a group. A wonderful friend of mine was emphasizing the importance of getting together. His point was that we aren’t getting any younger and our chances of doing so will just be getting smaller. That thought struck a chord. I thought it was right on target because the best moments of my life have been shared with people I love. Another human being, trusted implicitly, sharing the sensory input or outlandish story, ribs shaking in laughter, hearts swelling with joy, tears shared in common sorrow reminding us of the power of connection.
As I look around and see our attention drawn to our phones and social media, it saddens me to think how much human interaction has been sacrificed. These marvelous gadgets of convenience helping us navigate through our daily lives are a glib conveyance of isolation. Oh, don’t get me wrong, you can reach out and touch thousands, have them comment, yell, degrade, or praise with the “social” apps available. Swipe left for sex, belittle a stranger because you don’t agree with their viewpoint, watch another cat video, post selfies, these are the things bringing us our happiness? Ouch!
Give me a heartfelt hug. Simple genuine human interaction. The kind that shares what each of you are feeling inside. Let me look into your eyes as I listen to your stories and honestly react. Forgive me as I stumble clumsily with the knowledge shared. I want to feel the energy of intimately shared emotions. This thing called love needs to be shared without an electronic interpreter. The world is a busy place, so many things vying for our attention, sometimes, I find myself needing a reminder of this very fact. So, thank you Kathy, thank you Wednesday night and thank you wonderful human beings who call me friend by sharing your unconditional love. Just a little common-sense reminder to share yourself in person while you can.
Your faithful servant
jeff
I am enjoying every one of your common sense sermons! They have all been ON POINT, in my opinion! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Sandy