Over the past 17 days, I have spent eight days at home in Bristol, Virginia and Kingsport, Tennessee, four days at my second home (figurative, not literal) in Alexandria/Ashburn, Virginia and only five days in Smithfield. As I’ve already noted, I’m in transition from serving as Rector of St. Paul’s, Smithfield to serving as Rector of St. Boniface, Mequon. One would think that I would have spent just a bit more time at “home” in Smithfield preparing for the move...
The fact is, I have spent a lot of time just being with family. I have spent time with my biological family who have reminded from where I have came. My parents have shown me the never-changing, unfailing love that parents can show for their children. My parents are the ones responsible for giving me that firm foundation in how to be strong, independent and faithful person that is not afraid to question the status quo.
Then, there are my aunt and uncle & aunt. My aunt has always cared for and loved me as much as her own children. She, too, has shown me how to draw strength from her faith and her self as she has grown and traveled her journey of life. My uncle & aunt have always been close, although not always vocal, in their assistance in rearing me. It was only on these two trips home that I realized how much their love and support has helped to shape and form me over the past 36 years.
Then, there are my in-laws. There are hundreds of jokes about in-laws, and only three-quarters of them are true... I have learned a lot from my own father and my two grandfathers in my life, but I must admit, my father-in-law is one of a kind. He has been so gracious and full of faith while I have taken his daughter from Bristol to Alexandria to Wichita to Smithfield and now to Mequon. My prayer is that I will have enough faith in God and in the man with whom my own daughter falls in love that I am able to so graciously watch as they live their lives’ journey. What my father-in-law and step-mother-in-law have shown me is that not everyone has lost their ability to accept someone from outside their own “clan.” While they have their opinions, there is always room for the opinion of others. While they do care for themselves and for their family, they do care for the stranger. And, sometimes, that stranger becomes family as well.
Finally, there is my family in Ashburn. We met them while we were in Alexandria because our daughters were in school together. Then, the wives became friends, close friends. And finally, we husbands became friends as well. Now, we are like family, brothers Nitin and I are. Sisters, Tania and Archana are. Inseparable, Mallika and Michaela are. Two families living out such a similar life with similar interests and similar, yet different, struggles. Two families from different faiths yet the same values and same understanding of the meaning of life.
There is one thing that is so blatantly obviously missing when I visit the home of my Hindu family and it is the one thing I pray we followers of the teachings of Jesus Christ could learn to let go of...judgement. There is no judging when I enter their home. There is discussion yes, but no gossipy judgement. Do you have an opinion? Then share it; all will share their opinion and discuss it...but no one judges. For we are all on our journey. We all follow the call of a higher power. We all are called to have faith in our fellow man. We all are called to have faith in the decisions we make, with God’s help.
Prayer, Patience and Perseverance. My prayer now, since I have re-traced some of my steps of my journey by revisiting the family that has been so instrumental in forming and shaping me, and by all means, this is not an exhaustive list, is that I will be more patient as I travel my life’s journey. More patient with myself, with my family, with my colleagues and with my God, as I serve God and God’s children. May God give the grace and patience to never stop loving, to never stop welcoming, to never stop serving and to never stop learning.
To all of you that have been such a part of my life to help form and shape me, thank you.
And one other thing, may God give me the strength to persevere to the end of this packing and to the end of this move. My spiritual and emotional preparation is not yet complete, it never will be, but I am now ready to move forward, thanks to the prayers, patience and perseverance of my family. And now, the the more immediate prize is just 10 to 12 short days away...Mequon!
