The Bottom Line

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I wrote this back in 2002. Found it kicking around a computer file. It fits into how I'm thinking at the dawn of 2012. Ten years goes fast, my friends.

Some friends of mine are battling the serious illness of their child. Having been down a similar road just a short time ago, I found myself praying for them – wishing that I could buy them a truckload of faith, hope or love.

As I considered this, it occurred to me that sometimes it is impossible to grasp the meaning of faith.

How do we find faith in the face of the events of September 11th? How do we make sense of unknown enemies that want to destroy us? Even more importantly, how do we move forward when the very foundation of our faith is shaken by the unspeakable actions of those in leadership roles in the Catholic Church?

Truthfully, how do we find faith in the eyes of an ailing child?

It is the very mystery of human nature. Yet, when people know some of the dark things that life holds in store, there is still belief. If you are open to it, there are times when faith just explodes into your heart. It’s there in the face of a woman in the immediate moment after giving birth.

It’s alive in the beauty of an auburn sky on a summer’s night.

It surely doesn’t matter what kind of shoes you walk in. There are thousands of religions out there, but they are all predicated on the same set of beliefs. Although sometimes catching love and faith is a little like trying to hug a rainbow, there are undeniably moments when we are allowed to glimpse the treasures of God. It’s in the smile of a friend or the hug of a brother.

It’s in the voice of a father or caught in the sound of the howling wind.

When the world is at its darkest we often search for a sense of faith, hope or a belief in love because the bottom line is that that’s all there really is.

Where there is beauty there is hope and where there is love there is divine love and that’s what you need to pull you through.

It is in the kindness of a stranger or the laughter of a child. Sometimes all that we can ever hope for is that someday we will grasp the true meaning of faith and love.

If you have a moment, help me find a truckload of strength for my friends’ daughter –they really need something to hold onto right now.

Let the possibility of beauty into your life.

Comments

John said…
Thank you for your ten year old thoughts. Strange coincidence, I was cleaning and found a ten year old journal. I'll need to share my thoughts about love at my darkest hours. Eerily similar to many of your posts this year.
02 January, 2012
Cliff said…
And still we search for a vine to hold us.
02 January, 2012
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