Author: alwaysbridging

For those of you clamoring to know my Mister Fix-it’s latest shenanigans: Note long-standing jerry-rigged handle on microwave, the machine that has blown three fuses recently. I was surprised yesterday (and delighted) to hear him whisper, “We might have to get a new one.”

And lest you think this entry has nothing to do with bridging, believe me, this is one way we are as different as night and day. Agreeing across the chasm requires the bridge of patient deep breathing. While I am often grateful for his dexterity in this department, it’s times like these that I shake my head. How long, Lord, how long?

I had a bit of a bumpy start with both of these titles. One arrived on a very long reading list for our upcoming civil rights pilgrimage (“Wow, this seems overwhelming. Thank God I’ve read half of these already!”) And one was a switcheroo for book group (“But wait, I already bought the other book!”) I should have known any frustration was worth it. Or, in an Ignatian-sort-of-way, I could have paid closer attention. These books might just be special treasures, instigating emotion from me on day one.

Indeed both have easily passed the Nancy Pearl Test.* I will read each to the end, alternating between “fiction” and “non-fiction” until one grabs me and I can’t put it down. At this point, either has a fine chance of winning that race.

*Seattle Librarian Nancy Pearl’s Test of Whether to Finish a Book or Not –

Read a specific number of pages based on this formula: 100 – (one’s age) = # of pages to read. Then stop and decide. Is this book worth reading to the end? Read on or not. But what if the reader is 100 years old? Then judge a book by its cover, of course.

Deathday

Today is my father’s deathday—John R. Clarke, 1920 – 2015. We will all have one. No one gets out of this alive.

I have seen several photos of my Dad already this morning and hope others will post pictures of him. This is the one from that day that keeps coming back to me. He breathed his last 14 minutes into the day. What a vivid memory that is. So this photo records a liminal time for me. I remember being held by these beautiful women and holding them, mutually.

I didn’t know the term “bridging” yet but, my God, was I standing on one.

Chosen Family

I met Marilyn at church because she lives here for long stretches and worships with us while in Seattle. Now she’s home in Australia. That’s Marilyn in the photo with her kids AND MY KIDS who are visiting down under. How’s that for long, strong bridges across air waves and oceans?

Garnering Peace

This Monday morning I am settling. Thank God the days are lengthening and I have made peace with the notion of feast days. Many of my loved ones were born in the springtime; I am not giving up celebrating them just because their birthdays don’t fall on Sundays. As I understand it, those six Sundays are technically feast days and aren’t counted in the 40 days of fasting. As if I fast. Ha.

I saved this photo of our Valentine flowers for a day like today when I am most interested in emptying myself and listening. No witty story. Simply quiet, quiet after the festival. Waiting here in my prayer chair wrapped in my rainbow blanket and shawl from Palestine. Serene.

“What if God doesn’t want to use you? What if sometimes God wants to be with you?” Cole Arthur Riley