“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!””

I am reminded of the line from the King James Authorized Version of Proverbs, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” The Hebrew form used for the phrase “in the way he should go” actually suggests “his way”. It refers to the child’s particular bent, not necessarily the one you may have chosen for them. I have often heard people reflect how different that children are, although raised by the same parents in the same home. I know the Taylor girls, seen individually would not seem to have any common parental connection. Those differences can be related to the individual’s “bent” or that child’s “way.” Children are all different and our prayers should be to ask G_d to guide us to teach them, in keeping with their individual gifts and natural inclination, in such a way that allows them to find greatness within, greatness in who they were created to be, and their greatness created to enhance our lives, too.

In 1928 Stephen Spender, a British poet wrote an extremely thoughtful poem “The Truly Great”. The poem was written at a time when World War I was still very much in the minds of people. World War I was supposed to be the war that would end all wars. Sadly that was not the case, but in Spender’s opinion there are characteristics that the “truly great” possess, this greatness impacts the world. Spender speaks about the fearless soldiers of the Great War, and perhaps about all truly great women and men, who turned from their way for the greater good. I read it to be all persons, who truly follow their bent for service, no matter the twists and transitions. Women and men daily serving, in the military, as peace officers, as first responders, in all ages of this way, this life, and this truth.

Take a little time this Memorial Day to remember the heavy cost that has been paid by so many, for our freedom. Freedom comes at a highest cost. Remember the lives left unlived and pray for their souls in “The Mansions of the Lord.” Only One died for your soul, but many have abandoned their natural bent for your benefit, many have died, and many stand ready to die, for you to live free in America.

“I think continually of those who were truly great.

Who, from the womb, remembered the soul’s history

Through corridors of light, where the hours are suns,

Endless and singing…What is precious, is never to forget

The essential delight of the blood drawn from ageless springs

Breaking through rocks in worlds before our earth.

Never to deny its pleasure in the morning simple light

Nor its grave evening demand for love.

Never to allow gradually the traffic to smother

With noise and fog, the flowering of the spirit.

…The names of those who in their lives fought for life,

Who wore at their hearts the fire’s centre.

Born of the sun, they travelled a short while toward the sun

And left the vivid air signed with their honour.”

Pax,

jbt