VALUE YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS!!

Value Your Life and Others!!

Recently I was on my way to give a talk about the work I do in Africa with the Irish charity Self Help Africa to group of young people in Leitir Mor in Connemara. It’s about an hour’s drive from my house. On the way as I listened to my radio, the news broke of the terrible amount of deaths from the Coronavirus in Italy and China and the increases in Spain and France and another death to it in Ireland. And then there was a news broadcast on the millions of people who have been affected by food and water shortages in the horn of Africa, particularly in Ethiopia and Zambia, and also the news that the Coronavirus has started to hit there also, where many of the Irish aid agencies like Self Help Africa whom I work for and missionaries are trying so hard to save children’s and people’s lives. It made me feel unbelievably sad about how little we at times value human life.

A single unfolding moment

Closer to home, as I type these words, one of my dearest friends is waiting in vigil with family members at the bedside of a close family member who has been slipping away peacefully day by day. But they are thankful for his life and this special time that they are having with him. But who knows when we might be in that situation in the future. I titled this thought â€˜Value your life’, because in that short time of driving from my house to the community centre in Leitir Mor, I was vividly reminded of how much can change for any one of us by a single unfolding moment. We sometimes get so caught up in our routines and in the business of living that we take it for granted that we will be here tomorrow or next week or next year. We put things off - little but important things like spending time over a cup of tea with a friend; writing e-mails or making phone calls to family members who live far away; building bridges of forgiveness with loved ones and friends, thanking people of all ages who do nice things for us; appreciating the blooming and the nurturing of nature that lovingly supports our lives. Sometimes, we forget how each new day is a gift to us to learn and grow and share again, to put aside the regrets and the evil of yesterday and move united forward with a renewed spirit for living and loving and forgiving and caring more fully. For all we know, today - this moment - is all we really have. Many people nowadays don’t know how to hold on to ‘today’. They do not value the opportunities right in front of them but worry about the future. No matter what, all people can have is today and this moment. As usual a story from my Nana Scully’s prayer book might help to explain.

The Little Monk and a Yard Full Of Leaves

‘In ancient times, there was a little monk who took care of the yard at the temple. Every morning he had to get up early to sweep a yard full of leaves and that was the only thing that required his effort. That was not an easy job, particularly between autumn and winter with a huge amount of leaves flying all over the yard. It took him quite a bit of time to clear the leaves every day. Consequently, he wanted to find a way to make his life easier. Later another monk, who considered himself bright, told the little monk, “Why don’t you shake the tree really hard before you sweep tomorrow and all the leaves will fall down, then you only need to sweep once.” The little monk was very excited and thought what a permanent solution that was! The following day, the little monk got up early and shook every tree hard. He thought that he could sweep all the leaves in one day and that would be it. He was very happy that day. However, the next morning, he found out that there were just as many leaves in the yard as before. He was depressed that he had to work hard again. Then the abbot came over and saw him being unhappy. After hearing the story, the abbot said, “Foolish child, no matter how hard you shake the trees today, the leaves that supposed to fall tomorrow will still fall tomorrow.”

As the reading I heard at the recent memorial mass for the dead in my local parish said, ‘Everything under the sun has been prearranged and there is a season for everything and no one can hurry things up. Truly managing today well is the correct attitude toward life. There is no need to wait for tomorrow, because tomorrow consists of a lot of uncertainty. No one knows for sure what will happen in the environment around them or how it will change. It will be hard to predict or even to understand. When you are wholeheartedly waiting for tomorrow, you are wasting today. Giving up today is giving up your best opportunity. Only today is real and valid. In the journey of life, tomorrow seems pale and dim compared to today. Today, you can heal wounds, wipe away tears, pray for each other, build bridges, look after your family, friends, culture and way of life and help those in need of help and justice and fulfil dreams from yesterday. Holding on to today, you have mastered the secret of time. Valuing today is valuing your life.’

As a final thought, in the wake of recent tragedies in our world and the ongoing tragedy in Africa and the ongoing sadness and loss of life happening every day around our world through the Coronavirus, I send this loving invitation out to everyone it resonates with: Make this present moment count. Spend your liveliness this week thoughtfully on words and actions that serve you and others well. Be thankful for what you have, knowing that you have far more than you’ll ever need. Celebrate your gifts, your creativity, and your voice in this grand chorus of life. You and I are both here to inspire one another, to help one another, to share with one another. Sing from your soul. Value your life and the lives of those around you. We are all in this together. So truly value your life and everyone in it. Don't lose sight of what’s important. Don’t lose hope when life gets tough. Don’t give up on your dreams for the future. Don’t sell yourself short in life. Don’t forget how to hug, to laugh, to smile. Don’t be too proud to cry. Don’t be hateful or hurtful. Don’t forget to say, “thank you”, "I am sorry" and “I love you” each and every day. Don’t expect there will always be a tomorrow. Don’t forget that one small kindness pays you back two fold. Everybody has something to offer. Indeed, most of us have many things to offer and, in a lot of cases, special expertise is not required. A face of love cures all ills. We are all capable of giving that which people need most of all: Love. Love translates into time, service and the sharing of oneself. Don't give up. Share the love, share your love. Be a face of love. And remember that there is no better thing that you can do in life than to love someone or care for someone or be there for someone. Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can. I pray that each of you that have read this thought for the week today and on other occasions, may be blessed always and in all ways and that you will always value your life and the lives of others with gratitude especially during these worrying times. May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake. May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable. May we who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent. May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close remember those who have no options. May we who have to cancel our trips remember those that have no safe place to go. May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all. May we who settled in for a quarantine at home remember those who have no home. As fear grips our country let us choose love During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors. Let us always pray for and stand up for all our great nurses, doctors, emergency workers, first responders, front line staff, gardai, army and volunteers. Amen