Blessing

I recently “met” someone whose husband was the superintendent of my middle school. She looked very familiar to me, so I asked and we filled in the pieces of the story. She is also a musician and remembered my performances at school as a student. Now, forty years later, we belong to the same music club. Music has blessed me in many ways, and so have people. The more I remember those who have blessed me in my life, the more I strive to be a blessing to others. I can do this by simply listening and being present to each person I encounter. This is not easy, especially when I’m busy. But when I am attentive to blessing others with a listening ear or a caring touch, I feel honored in return. Sometimes this is felt many years later, but God’s time is different than my time. I have learned to have faith in “the quiet eternal.”

In his book, To Bless the Space Between Us, Irish author John O’ Donohue speaks of a quiet light that shines in every heart. He says, “It draws no attention to itself, though it is always secretly there. The quiet eternal that dwells in our souls is silent and subtle; in the activity of blessing it emerges to embrace and nurture us.”