GOD’S CORNER n n n
30
by Ger trude M. Puelicher
DID YOU HEAR THE SWISH? That was summer rushing by. I put out a hand to detain her, but she eluded my grasp. I put out a foot to trip her, but to no avail. She sped happily on, accompanied by her satellites, not only wedges of Canadian geese in organized formation noisily honking their way through startled clouds, but also thrushes, warblers and smallest of all, tiny hummingbirds. These little charmers weigh only three or four grams, yet many of them are long distance migrants on a continuous flight of more than 500 miles. I presume it would be difficult to identify them in fleeing summer’s entourage, but they must be part of it since they no longer come to their feeder nor to the red geraniums and purple petunias that once made our deck boxes focal points for their interest. Their great skill in flying backwards, sideways, or just hanging motionless, their helicopter wings whirring at a tremendous rate, gives them a maneuverability that increases their charm. Often I wonder why I didn’t make a greater friend of summer while she was around. The outer trail with its winding slopes—why didn’t I take my dog on more frequent walks for no other reason than to revel in splintered sunlight through forest foliage? Why did I think going 55 feet down the hill to the pier was too much of an effort when I well knew the joy of floating down the lake to the far end where a few undisturbed loons play water games and where deer come down to the shore to walk slowly in the cool water, viewing with interest the pontoon boat and its occupants? Why
did I permit myself to miss so much that was right at my fingertips? We do the same thing, however, with our daily lives. We let so much slip through our fingers that would bring fulfillment to ourselves as well as to others. A note to some lonely friend? A helping hand to a neighbor whose home is spilling over with small children who don’t know how to entertain themselves? A listening ear to a disturbed teenager? A dish of custard to an elderly couple in need of a bit of attention? What may seem trivial to you and me may mean an entire day of relief and release to another. What we are really doing is letting love slip through our fingers. Love, the most important ingredient in our being! Love, an absolute necessity if life is to be worthwhile! We’ve all heard the catchy slogan that asks: “Have you hugged your child today?” What it means is, “Have you let your child know lately that you love him or her? Love must not be taken for granted; it must be demonstrated. The Nazarene carpenter made clear the importance of love when he admonished us, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” Paul told the Romans, “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” And finally, John, the beloved disciple, said, “Beloved, let us love one another for love is of God—He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” If we let love slip through our fingers as I let summer slip through mine, we are letting God slip through. To lose God is to waste a lifetime. When we hold fast to love, we hold fast to God. n E X C L U S I V E LY Y O U R S
