My apology to Victoria Erickson for borrowing the title of her book for the title of today’s blog. Who, you might ask, is Victoria Erickson? Well, allow me to introduce you. I have only just now discovered her, having come across one of her quotes on the ubiquitous Facebook postings, which read:
“I love getting older. My understanding deepens. I can see what connects. I can weave stories of experience and apply them. I can integrate the lessons. Things simply become more and more fascinating. Beauty reveals itself in thousands of forms.”
What draws me seems to be her passion for life, along with a recognition of time as fleeting, an emphasis on living in the present, while the opportunity is there, knowing we are mortal. This is especially brought home to me in this season.
As I write this, I am aware Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, has just been celebrated, particularly in Mexican culture. Although the dates can vary according to the region where it is being celebrated, more typically on November 1 families welcome back the souls of deceased children with a brief reunion that includes food, drink and festivity. On November 2, families pay their respects to the souls of adults who have passed away. This is intended to honor the cycle of life and death and to remember loved ones who have died.
Closer to home, this Sunday at the church I pastor, we will honor All Saints Day, and the following two weeks we have programs offered on aging and the preparations to consider before one faces end of life. On an even more personal level, I am aware of my own aging, of how differently I experience time now, of how I am beginning to grapple with my own mortality. I return to quote Ms. Erickson:
“We blinked, and it’s the holidays again. How many more laps around the sun are left? Life is slippery and fleeting, and distance so cold. Stay humble and warm. Remember what counts.”
May we be bearers of hope, the “wait staff” of Hope’s Café for each other and all those we encounter. Shalom, Kate
Hope’s Café Bonus:
For my writer friends, and all who appreciate writing that offers a mirror to our lives, I point you to Ms. Erickson’s self-description: “ Hi, I’m Victoria. Most of my time is spent with words, as they have been my passion since I could hold a pencil. I find them to be fascinating- the way the sound, shape, and texture of words can move off a page and through the cells, weaving through one’s veins, and circling to the heart.”
Hope's Cafe 