(photo from Hawaii by W Hayes)
When you were a kid Saturday was the greatest thing ever. Time to build forts, play in the snow, to scream and yell. School is out! What a change to the present situation for most of us who don’t know what day it is anymore.
But my Saturday morning is marked by my trusty bible class so I know what day it is! To keep up with the Joneses we have been meeting on Zoom which is working well. Of course we look forward to the day when we can shake hands and hug and carry on like we know how.
Yesterday we had the historic first Zoom meeting for Caminoheads Bureau Chiefs. We had eight of us on three continents. We missed William who was off on some mission but we were mostly there. And it was super fun and we carried on for two hours before it was done. What a crew we have. What a huge grab bag of talent we can bring to the table.
Cris CSABC instigated this confab to keep our communications going in the present situation and to find the opportunities that this situation holds. Where most people see problems she sees opportunities, her superpower! So, we are coming together over that sensibility to probe and explore. What is there that we can accomplish or add to the conversation given our trusty pilgrim know how and unique tool bag of our combined life experiences and training. This is something like a combination of the Magnificent Seven and the Dirty Dozen with a little True Grit thrown in.
So we had this first meeting really to start working together. This technology is perfect for us at this time. That’s what amazes me, just when we need it it is here for us. So, I will have more news as we get up and running.
Now, I would like to say something that is appropriate to the present. I and many of us are seriously in the target zone of this virus, it has me and most of us in it’s crosshairs. And I am not saying this to be a doom and gloom guy or because I am giving up in any way. It is just that if there is one thing that I have learned from my Cancer it is that death is not the final defeat. Generally folks who “battle” Cancer reach a point where they run out of options or energy or inspiration and they as a result feel like their upcoming death is a defeat, that they have failed. They feel they did something wrong or they didn’t try hard enough or they didn’t take someone’s advice or they didn’t pray hard enough or they weren’t worthy. There are a thousand things to substitute in there.
But, it is not a defeat as we all will die at some point only God knows the time and reason. The ultimate defeat is to have been so wrapped up in this fear and fight that we fail to live. That we aren’t present to the world around us, our loved ones, our mission, our neighborhood. A thousand things to substitute there. Do you see that? That is the ultimate tragedy.
So, at this time, this crucial time, let me say that I or a few of us may not make it through this tidal wave. In a few months we could be fewer. Do not grieve. Do not panic. Do not negotiate with negativity. Trust God, your best self and your pilgrim buddies. Do not worry unnecessarily. You/we have incredible assets. The ultimate defeat is not to die but would be not to live when it is our chance. Be present!
heavy duty loves, Felipé.
Felipe et al,
Wow and double Wow! Today’s post is one for the ages old buddy. I had been doing a lot of thinking since yesterday’s gabfest get together with the Bureau heads bunch. I was trying to Corral the ever-circling herd of ideas and impressions that belong together Under The Heading of most important things gleaned from the Camino. And from yesterday’s techno -aided Gathering and your post today the obvious number one became even more obvious. To paraphrase a political pundit from Years Gone by, the answer is: it’s the people we meet, stupid!! Our current pandemic has brought it home with the force of a sledgehammer, we are all in this thing together. I am sure I speak for the other Bureau Chiefs when I can report that the primary Emotion that I had following our gathering was one of being strengthened. No, I didn’t meet any of those wonderful folks on my Camino per se, but now I know all of them BECAUSE of my Camino! Ergo, It’s the PEOPLE, stupid!
Semper Fi
PFJ
PFJ ~ it was a great meeting and we are just started! We are so lucky old buddy, Felipé.
AMEN!
Dr J ~ rosary date tomorrow, oh boy! Felipé.x
Thanks for talking about the elephant and ten hyenas in the room.
Sounds like a punk band.
Jessika ~ sometimes stuff just starts coming out of my mouth or onto the keyboard. You doing good? Felipé.x
Hi Felipé,
Thank YOU for, once again, hitting the nail on the head (being the great carpenter that you are, this is easy for you to do) with your blog.
BE PRESENT, is indeed our ultimate challenge. Key ingredient is to choose to Trust God.
Blessings from up north.
William.
William ~ good to hear from you! We missed you at our Zoom conference. We muddled through on our own. Felipé.
Hi Phil,
What a cool meeting we had…! I am still digesting all we brought to the table and the new layer of connection we created… really moving…
And I like this post of yours too… We all have to be realistic, which means we have to acknowledge that there is a risk group for this virus and you and some others we love are in it… but somehow, the ones who are not in the risk group, aren’t outside the effects of this pandemic… The virus and the bilateral interstitial pneumonia it causes are what defines the risk group, but the new world the virus has created, is the new world we are all living in right now… And we all know that the virus can kill, but the stress and the lack of skills to live in this new world also. For the first, we have these measures of isolation, quarantine, washing our hands, coughing&sneezing like batman, etc… for the the latter, are the skills we are trying to create, develop, improve, modify… the first is necessary suffering, the latter is suffering we can prevent and diminish.
i like a phrase Dr. BJ Miller used when finishing his ted-talk about palliative care: “Let’s be death what takes us, not lack of imagination”.
All together Loves,
Cris
All together Cris ~ we had a good time didn’t we? And I think that we got something done? Joke there. Of course we did. I want to write a little more on this tomorrow. Put it in other words in other words. Crazy times love Felipé.x
Phil, what a beautiful post. Thanks so much for writing this. I’ve felt the same way: the worst thing is not death but a life unlived.
So take good care of yourselves over there and know that you are both in my prayers.
Much love and hugs,
Debra
Debra ~ thank you for your support on this. I’m going to work on the idea more tomorrow maybe. First have a rosary date with my Mass partner Catherine. Praying up a storm, Felipé.x
¡Hola Felipe!
I was just out there on the Arrowhead/Marauder Camino lake trail and ran into a young lady who was recently diagnosed with a serious ailment. She was fast-walking her dog with a backpack and trekking poles…not an easy feat! The conversation turned to training and not letting the body or the soul give up or just not being present to the world around us! Since she was training on the same lake trail (12 miles) I use to get ready for the Way, our conversation turned to the Camino. I gave a brief run-down…way shorter than our Marauder Sister Terri usually gives…(Hey Terri!) and I’m pretty sure the Camino experience will be on her itinerary. She is going to check out Phil’s Camino and train to make her own Camino when the virus permits. Your story and your trust in God are powerful messages to bring to the living present neighborhood!
Heavy Duty Present Times!
Diego
Diego ~ thanks man, good story, miss you. Felipé.
Wow. I live with this guy! Can you believe my luck?
My Rebecca ~ my pleasure dear! Groovin Together, that was a song, right? If you remember the 60’s you weren’t really there. I don’t know what that means but I heard it somewhere. Now we go Quarantining Together! Love, Felipé.
What you said: “The ultimate defeat is not to die but would be not to live when it is our chance. Be present!”
What truer words to live by. Felipe, you sure can zoom in on what is truly true.
Miss you heaps.
Sunday blessings.
Dana
Geez miss you too! I was inspired and motivated. Now gratitude our hope. Felipé.x