A
Tribute to a Life Well Lived
“How
fleeting and insignificant is the lot of humankind—yesterday an
embryo, tomorrow a mummy or ashes. So for the hair's-breadth of time
assigned to you, live rationally, and part with life cheerfully, as
the ripe olive drops to the ground, extolling the season that bore it
and the tree that matured it.”
Marcus
Aurelius (121-180 CE, Rome)
A
friend of mine died a week or so ago. His name was Dick Sales. He was
an old preacher and teacher who served as a missionary in Africa for
many years. His first wife died and was buried there. In the Zulu
tradition, her sister came to marry him and raise his three children.
He was forced to leave Africa when he stood with Desmond Tutu against
apartheid. When he and his family returned to the states, he was
minister of my church for many years. I remember his sermons being
interspersed with wonderful stories of life in Africa. Clearly he
loved the people he served. He and his wife, Nancy, bought a house in
a predominantly African American neighborhood because they were most
comfortable there. They continued their ministry, he as a teacher in
the Theology Among the People program and she as an English as a
second language teacher and GED tutor.
I
have been fortunate to know a few people like Dick and Nancy in my
lifetime. The example of their lives speaks for itself, without
fanfare and pomp. I envy their self-less devotion and ego-less manner
of being in the world. Once a decision to serve was made, they never
looked back.
Living
rationally and with joy is a choice we can make every day. I like the
twelve-step approach of 'just for today—one day at a time'. Even in
these strident times, with loud and angry voices, economic worries,
and strife all around us, we can wake up in the morning, plant our
feet and our attitude determinedly on the ground. We can say to
ourselves, 'just for today, I will live in the moment and express
gratitude for the goodness of life'. I can hand over to God the ones
who are on my heart, knowing that they are in better hands than my
own.
I
give thanks today for having known Dick Sales, who daily lived the
serenity prayer, for the example of his life, and for the service of
his hands:
“God
grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can,
and
the wisdom to know the difference.
Living
one day at a time;
enjoying
one moment at a time;
accepting
hardships as the pathway to peace;
taking,
as He did, the sinful world as it is and not as I would have it;
trusting
that {God} will make all things right if I surrender to {God's}
will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life;
and
supremely happy with {God} forever in the next.”
Reinhold
Niebuhr
In
the spirit,
Jane
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