Look to the Future!
Future: What’s next?
When I visit with seniors in their homes--be it in the family home or in an institution-- I hear many stories about the past: about how they lived their youth in a different time and place; about their working career and the opportunities afforded by their work. Some stories I even get to hear more than once.
At the same time, I have heard words about a "bright future", spoken by many of the same people. We often refer to people, elderly or young, as optimists. I could be labeled in this category. I lean towards looking to the future in the positive.
A question (I know there are a lot) for many people over the past few years (with COVID 19 clearly in our rearview mirror) was, and is: What did we learn from COVID?
Were we able to see a future in the middle of the crisis?
One of my challenges with COVID was to discover and learn “new technology.” I admit that using the technologies available (such as recording services for worship) did prove to be a stumbling block, and we know what Jesus says about stumbling blocks!
Life provides many challenges. As we each look back, we can recount those moments of challenge, and recall how we overcame them. But we must not always be looking in the rearview mirror.
We need to look to the future—with the sense of possibility—rather than stumbling stones.
A favorite story of mine is told by a pastor about visiting a church member who was detailing instructions for her end-of-life celebration. Thinking she was finished, the pastor rose to leave when the lady said, “Sit down—there is one more thing!"
"When I am put in my coffin, I want you to place a fork in my hand.” The pastor asked, “Why?”
The explanation came: "Growing up, whenever we had a family gathering, my grandmother always told us to save our fork for what was the best to come, dessert!"
"I want my family and friends to look at me lying in-state and know that I know the best is yet to come!”
We all need to remind ourselves. “Look to the future! All the challenges we see now are preparing us for the best, yet to come.”
We may not see it at the moment; but there is a future, and the best is yet to come!
Blessings for this week,
Archdeacon Brian+
