So, let’s talk about something personal. Something that is a bit embarrassing to admit. . . Something that Jennifer deals with on a regular basis that makes her smirk and shake her head. I misplace a lot of things. And I mean that. . . a lot of things. I forget where my wallet is often. I lose track of my keys even though we have a basket in the living room for them. I have even forgotten where my glasses are—and I can’t see without them. It happens a lot, and Jennifer and the kids, just shake their head at me—not in chastisement, but in humor. I can almost hear them saying, “well here we go again, Dad lost something. I wonder where he put it."
Today it was my shoes.
Just before 9am, as I readied to head to the church, I paced around silently looking for my favorite shoes. My gray and orange Nike running shoes are very comfortable and I wanted them. But they were nowhere to be found.
I went to the closet. . . nope. ‘Well,' I thought, 'they are probably next to my chair in the living room'. . . Hmmmm, not there. Okay, I shuffled through the kitchen and past the dogs eating breakfast. The shoes are not next to the back door that leads onto the deck. By the Christmas tree. . . Still I couldn’t find them. I was beginning to get irritated. I went back into the bedroom and looked again. They were not by my side of the bed and again they were not in the closet. I don’t know why I looked in the closet a second time, but that is what I do. Keep looking around until whatever I am missing turns up even if I have checked them a number of times. Still I could not find them.
I thought back to the previous evening and retraced my steps. Still my shoes were missing. Finally, after about 10 minutes of looking, I went back into the living room. I looked down toward the door where Luna was now laying, and there were my shoes. Right next to the door. ‘Ah, that’s right’ I said to no one in particular, ‘I took them off when I brought Emma home from work last night.’ I then remembered that I planned to leave them by the door so (yup you guessed it) that I wouldn't forget them in the morning. But I did. I fetched them and continued my morning routine.
As I laced up my shoes, and prepared my final cup of coffee, I was listening to a new podcast that interviews servicemen and women who have ’never quit.’ These are the stories of those who have pressed on in the face of struggle and succeeded in unexpected ways. JonMark turned me on to it and now I listen every Wednesday to the show.
In this episode Lt. Colonel Dan Rooney was talking about a scholarship program (Folds of Honor) that he started for the children and families of servicemen and women who have paid the ultimate price. To date the have awarded over 2000 scholarships to families. His story begins this way: He was flying to Grand Rapids late one night. As the plane landed the captain came over the speakers and asked everyone on board to remain in their seats as they were carrying home the remains of a young corporal named Brock who died serving our country. Brock’s twin brother sat in a first class seat accompanying his brother home.
Dan watches the ceremony on the tarmac from his window seat until its completion. As he turned to leave the plane, he found that almost everyone on board stood up and are now waiting in the isle to leave the plane as fast as possible. But the doors aren’t open to leave. Where do they think they are going? They did not follow the captain’s request. Leaving aside what we might feel about this choice that these people made in face of the sacrifice this young corporal made, Dan began to think about the choices that we make each day that necessitate speed and a lack of attention to the moment? He wondered about how he could care for people whose lives are so overcrowded that they couldn’t even sit for 5 minutes in respect for a fallen hero. This is a very serious thing to consider.
Now let’s go back to my dilemma this morning while considering the meaning of Dan’s story. . . .
My shoes were where they were supposed to be. I placed them by the front door so that they would be easy to find as I hurried through my morning. No one touched them. No kicked them under the bench that we can sit on at home to put our shoes on. Again, they were right in plain sight. But I wonder if I was too preoccupied with my calendar says is going to be a busy day? Was I, and are we, too focused on getting everything done as quickly as we can that we miss the opportunity to be present when something sacred is happening right in front of our eyes? If I slowed down, if I was more attentive to the moment, I would likely have noticed my shoes right where I left them.
When you are at the grocery, I wonder how many people rush past you because they are in such a hurry huffing and puffing because you are in their way? How many people cut you off while driving only to be stuck one car in front of you at the next red light? Are you that person who hurries too much? Certainly we can’t solve those issues by reading this post. But I once again wonder, what would happen if we were more aware of what is happening around us? What if we are more patient, more deliberate in what we do? I suspect that we might be invited to notice the sacred moments of life, if we practiced this posture a little more often.
Blessings
Rev. Derek
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