WOMEN and MEN: Among my FATHER's treasures

This story came to my mind today as I've had the experience I describe this week. I wanted to share it.

There is a picture of my dad just across the room from where I sit at my desk in my office. He was in his 30s in the picture. It is a serious picture...not quite a smile rests on his face. But in his eyes there is a bright, hopeful glint of a visionary man. He was a man with deep beliefs...a man who demonstrated he was courageous in many ways.
He also was a vulnerable man, who riddled his life with mistakes he didn't intend... And like many of us, he had a hard time forgiving himself, long after others had forgiven him.

In the picuture, he seems to look into me sometimes.
When I dream...
When I am deeply touched...
When I am stretching to find a new level of courage.
When I am pulling myself up from some moment of dispair.
I look over my shoulder and he seems to be quietly whispering, "I know."

Among his treasures was a book of Peter Marshall's sermons, the famed Scottish minister with a vibrant message from another time. At one time he was the Chaplain of the U.S. Senate. I kept this book and today, I opened it to a sermon, The Risk of Reach. Interestingly, it speaks about one's purpose. Hmmmm! Timely for us all. These were a few gems that seemed to jump out at me.

"You were put here for a purpose, and that purpose is not related to superficial pleasures.

The time for drifting
or sleeping
or wishful thinking
or daydreaming is over.
The state of our world today make that a very dangerous pastime.

This generation and all of you who are sensitive to
what is going on around you, are called to a supreme adventure.
There is a great stirring in society.
The upheavals of life and the revolutions of multitudes across the world in desperate motion are indications that our world can never be the same again.

...So do not ever underestimate what you can do.
You have the courage to cast off your acrophobia and
to dream big and to aim high...

Give us the long view in our work and our world ... for [the good of others] ...for the peace of the world."

What contribution will you make in thought, word and deed?

I leave you once again pondering this myself, promising to step forward today.

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center 
Home of Women in the Lead
Author, Putting Our Differences to Work

Comments

[Janina Browarska]

Thank you for these inspiring soul reaching words. ..."all of you who are sensitive to what is going on around you are called to a supreme adventure"....
How can we not help but work together globally. All those positive and amazing differences, visions, skills, gifts and talents together...what a better world we are becoming.
Hugs
Nina

[Debbe Kennedy]

Nina, I loved how you said it, "...How can we not help but work together globally. All those positive and amazing differences, visions, skills, gifts and talents together...what a better world we are becoming." I had these visions also.
Hold those thoughts...
Warm regards,
Debbe