Silverwalk Hermitage

St. Columba

This time of year is thin, when heaven, earth and other worlds are closer than normal. I find myself aware of family beyond church and kin – those who are in need to whom I can offer help. Not necessarily organized – everything is so organized these days, it seems – but serendipitously as led by God and opportunity.

• clipping a dog’s nails,
• driving myself and a friend on errands,
• riding with a friend for supplies and good conversation,
• carefully evaluating advice  - avoiding following blindly (as I have in the past) without prayer and consideration,
• being blessed by open time (which means less income but more personal interaction),
• actually attending lectures and concerts, alone or perhaps meeting a friend there unexpectedly
• writing and mailing birthday cards (this is organized but not something I normally do)
• carefully working with a reactive dog who has trouble being with other dogs; here, she has no choice but to learn & I to mediate

Who are the saints surrounding you this week?

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• “Use Your Own Voice, To See Your Own Light…” (steponacrack.wordpress.com)
• The sound of thin silence (nomorefear.wordpress.com)

Albert Schweitzer

Today is Albert Schweitzer‘s feast day.  He is one of my heroes though I do not take his reverence for life to the extreme he did: I do kill mosquitoes and bugs but I apologize as I do so, reminding them I am not Dr. Schweitzer.  He was a man who did not believe in the deity of Christ; his actions and life belied his stated belief or lack there-of, meeting people where they were and adapting himself and his hospital in Lambarene to the African way of life rather than imposing the European.   A current doctor, Paul Farmer of Partners in Health, does similar work – he uses the community to save patients – otherwise, he would not have the cooperation both he and Dr. Schweitzer receive from those they serve.

Dr. Schweitzer’s example of life, living and giving are a guide to my own – poor follower that I am and without nearly his intellect – oh, my!  He is an example of Christ on earth; Jesus did not seek to change the things as they are but to open minds’ to the underpinnings, the Godliness of it and to love one another.

I am awed and amazed when men and women whom I admire and seek to emulate lived into and of my lifetime.  Dr. Schweitzer was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and died in 1965.

Related articles

• Reverence for Life (bipedsandbrutes.wordpress.com)
• Training by Example (hodgepodge555maybs.wordpress.com)
• Paul Farmer: medical anthropologist, physician (boston.com)