The Ducks, Geese, the Children and the Summer's Edge
The Archdiocese sits almost within a park, the luscious green that
surrounds it, continues even in winter to shine as part of God’s beautiful
creation. This time of year the 500 or so geese and ducks that flock to the
surrounding lakes and seem to multiply rapidly as you see the chorus of
young ones traveling behind, learning the ways of life. Every now and then
a deer comes to call. The only sadness of this beautiful repose that you
cannot feed the ducks, for they will not leave.
In the years that we have been privileged to enjoy this repose, many a
distinguished visitor has called on and resided with us. Traditional
Anglican Bishops from far and near have come by. Many priests, friends,
and just plain ole good folks, but the greatest and most honored visitor to
this came in the last two weeks. Sixty high school graduates came calling
for lunch, sponsored by the School Board of District # 189 of East St. Louis.
First came 30 young ladies all dressed in whites to dine, they are the
brightest and best of their school district. Then, a week later came the
young gentlemen, all dressed up leisurely for dining. This was a picture
that not even Norman Rockwell can describe, for here we saw the future
of bright young eyes as they prepare for the next step of educational life.
As I looked through the group, I could not help but wonder who will
succeed and who will not, what young lady will become a mother before
her time, and where the future lies for them all. We can only pray and hope
that for them the future is bight.
The School Board and the new Superintendent are to be complimented for
this act of showing them a slice of the world if they work hard and keep
focus. Reality tells us that the odds from this community are shaky, but our
prayer is constant and our hope that these young men and women will be
a part of tomorrow's glorious future, and not end up in the bosom of evil.
We are grateful to for that the diocese can be a part of their education. 5
young minds go off to college with scholarships from the ACW, but as told
to them, scholarships and college while educational is about life, but they
must put their best foot forward
And so the summers comes. See the visitors come, see the ducks pass by,
see the deer makes his annual call, but in all this nothing can replace the
joy of the future more than seeing these young bright minds going toward
the goals of a bright tomorrow, and one day hopefully they will be apart of
positive future.
But we are not finished. From the park nearby, the rabbits come to call in
the middle of the night, they do their destruction to the gardens. When I
awake in the morn, I seem to say, "Oh boy.", but again I look and it is all a
part of life's restless summer.
Finally, wherever you are in the world, take a look at your surroundings,
see God’s untimely beauty. See the majesty that not only brings a smile to
the face of those who pass by, but yours, it gives you a sense of
achievement.
Summer's here what shall I do?
Life surrounds us
Where shall we go?
The beauty of it all is like the splendor of the grass,
As morning brings its dew.
The evening brings it twilights,
Where only one can think
Of the majesty of God’s glorious gift to us,
His creation.
Watch how you go this week.
+ Hartley
acwarchbishop@aol.com