How Are You?
How are you? How are YOU? HOW are you? How ARE YOU?
Well, we’re on the down side of the mountain, aren’t we? We have fewer days ahead of us than the days behind us this year. So, let’s stop here and ponder: WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?
How is your heart? How is the face you see in the mirror? Is your smile a genuine one or a fake one? Do you feel that people who stop and talk to you are friends, or almost friends? Do you have someone who knows that the load you carry is a heavy load? Do they offer consoling words that are genuine? Do you both light up a little spending time together? Is one or both of you faking it? Do either of you need to apologize to the other one?
I have poked away in this pond. I asked our college-aged grandson: “Is she a nice person?” I was delighted when he said “Yes.” Someone I know and love can’t answer that question positively. That person knows he/she didn’t—and he/she is hopeful that he/she will choose someone who is DEEPLY genuine and deeply this time. That person wants to go that route.
Each of us has tender places. I told our two granddaughters that the most important characteristic in a mate is that he/she is a nice person to whom she can open her heart. I try to be genuinely okay with our grandchildren not knowing what religion he or she belong to or if she is not interested in any of them. I can’t help but I can say, “I hope each of you will find the right spirit place for your heart and mind and values.’’
I will try not to mention that I hope they’ll have one child- or maybe even two children. Our planet and our own hearts need something/someone big to love, something/someone to whom he or she will promote goodness in the world today and the world of tomorrow.
I’ll try to love anyone our grandchild loves. I’ll try not to ask right away if we will be seeing them again, and if a huge red flag is waving in the wind, I’ll skip saying that when they’re reaching for the door knob.
I’ll try to learn something about the jobs our grandchildren aspire to. So far, we have aspiring engineers to make things either for outer space or maybe in outer space--or to go back and forth from the earth to outer space. So far, I haven’t complained about the distance disadvantage of loving parents. That’s also when I’ll confess that when Al told me he wanted to be an engineer that it didn’t mean he would drive trains. This is important because that’s what I thought Al was choosing to be when he grew up. I was happy that, instead, he went into office buildings to do financial work for a good company for 28 years. And always, all of us are asked to send out lots more positive energy than things that are negative or stupid, in our personal opinion. Thank you for all the joy and positive energy you have already released. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
Rev. Cynthia Barnes Johnson, member of Door County Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Well, we’re on the down side of the mountain, aren’t we? We have fewer days ahead of us than the days behind us this year. So, let’s stop here and ponder: WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?
How is your heart? How is the face you see in the mirror? Is your smile a genuine one or a fake one? Do you feel that people who stop and talk to you are friends, or almost friends? Do you have someone who knows that the load you carry is a heavy load? Do they offer consoling words that are genuine? Do you both light up a little spending time together? Is one or both of you faking it? Do either of you need to apologize to the other one?
I have poked away in this pond. I asked our college-aged grandson: “Is she a nice person?” I was delighted when he said “Yes.” Someone I know and love can’t answer that question positively. That person knows he/she didn’t—and he/she is hopeful that he/she will choose someone who is DEEPLY genuine and deeply this time. That person wants to go that route.
Each of us has tender places. I told our two granddaughters that the most important characteristic in a mate is that he/she is a nice person to whom she can open her heart. I try to be genuinely okay with our grandchildren not knowing what religion he or she belong to or if she is not interested in any of them. I can’t help but I can say, “I hope each of you will find the right spirit place for your heart and mind and values.’’
I will try not to mention that I hope they’ll have one child- or maybe even two children. Our planet and our own hearts need something/someone big to love, something/someone to whom he or she will promote goodness in the world today and the world of tomorrow.
I’ll try to love anyone our grandchild loves. I’ll try not to ask right away if we will be seeing them again, and if a huge red flag is waving in the wind, I’ll skip saying that when they’re reaching for the door knob.
I’ll try to learn something about the jobs our grandchildren aspire to. So far, we have aspiring engineers to make things either for outer space or maybe in outer space--or to go back and forth from the earth to outer space. So far, I haven’t complained about the distance disadvantage of loving parents. That’s also when I’ll confess that when Al told me he wanted to be an engineer that it didn’t mean he would drive trains. This is important because that’s what I thought Al was choosing to be when he grew up. I was happy that, instead, he went into office buildings to do financial work for a good company for 28 years. And always, all of us are asked to send out lots more positive energy than things that are negative or stupid, in our personal opinion. Thank you for all the joy and positive energy you have already released. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
Rev. Cynthia Barnes Johnson, member of Door County Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
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