Yesterday afternoon, my old friend, Frederick Buechner, was whispering in my ear as I went through half a box of Kleenex and learned a whole lot about the thing I call Filters! while seated in the virtual congregation at the Tribute Service for Rosalynn Carter.
I’ll share the ah-hah’s in a moment. First, we need a story. Also known as a bit of context.
As you may know, we moved around a lot when I was a kid. A whole lot.
One of the things that meant was that I entered my first year as a student at Columbia Theological Seminary, never having attended a funeral service!
Frankly, I was fine with that… until it was time for our summer internships!
At our interview my boss-to-be brought up the issue of vacation plans – this being a big reason small church pastors have interns – assuring me that he’d never be farther than two hours away.
By the time I arrived in Pulaski, TN (aka… the farthest corner of beyond) plans had changed. My esteemed boss was headed to Mexico for 3 weeks! This news created instant panic in my intern pastor brain!
When I explained to Gary that I had never even attended a funeral, let alone officiated at one, he looked at me like I’d just flown in from Mars. Then he swallowed a couple of times. Then he laughed!
“No problem,” he said. “We’ll go to funerals!”
As it happened, the church was literally next door, on the Southern town square, to the funeral home. So we did.
When the parking lot filled up next door, we’d sneak in and sit in the back. Then, back in our own space… noticing and wondering! (I’m told this adventure added quite a few chuckles to my official account of my summer.)
Now, back to this moment!
Having been alerted by my Physical Therapist’s office angels that traffic could be a problem before the Tribute Service, I went hunting details. Emory Methodist Church is, indeed, in my perceived neighborhood.
Then I went to my appointment and got thoroughly dry needled and exercised. By the time I arrived home and foraged for food, the service was beginning, live, on MSNBC. I was honored to witness what turned out to be a huge wonder.
If you wish to experience the tender, diverse, deeply important, occasionally ironic service, miracles of modern science have made that an option. (The link is below.)
For this moment, a confession.
I don’t remember much about the Carter presidency. And, yes, this is another of those context things.
My first year in college convinced me that my lifelong dream of becoming a Veterinarian was not to be and I had no idea what else to do, so I got married. Really!
The next couple of years were an intense learning experience in domestic violence. I left when I was 4 months pregnant. I had no real plan. I just couldn’t put a baby in that place.
I didn’t have the band width for politics in the midst of Food Stamp lines and HUD housing and figuring out how to go back to school.
There was, however, another factor in my awareness. Or, rather, NOT in my conscious awareness.
I come from long lines of committed Republicans. Read that, WE don’t vote for Democrats! And, frankly, I needed all the WE I could get.
All of which boils down to the fact that I’ve learned more about Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter in the last few days than I ever knew.
They were doing lots of things I believed in, even then. And they weren’t pretending to be perfect or all-powerful. They were largely serving… together. As partners.
And, yes, I have some new beliefs about how much that matters these days!
For now, though, if you’re a dates and numbers kind of processor, there’s a whole lot of that here…
If you’re a soak it all in sort, here it is…
For this moment, I’m sticking with Fred…
That sudden flash of tears we get is the surest sign of truth we have.
I have 2 granddaughters growing up in this world!
Gnostic Judeo-Christian Mystic Medicine Woman walking the Way of Love
(aka: The Fiercely Compassionate Rebel Grandmother, For Rent!)
