Today a bride called me. She was supposed to get married on Saturday. Can you tell by the use of the past tense what is coming? She was phoning to tell me that they wouldn't be getting married this weekend. The groom has cold feet or mid life crisis, it was unclear which one or both was troubling him. Unfortunately, he did not come to this epiphany until after all of the bride's family had arrived for the celebration. The hall is booked, the dresses are bought, flights have been arranged and now there will be no party. On one hand, good for him for backing out if this decision is not the right one for him. However, I was reminded again of how far the impact of our actions travel. Family and friends certainly, in this case feel the repercussions of his decision. But it travels farther; to me, the organist, the wedding hostess, the servers who were going to serve at the reception, the d.j. and who knows where it goes from there.
Last night was the team meeting for the Victim Services Unit that I volunteer with here in town. We were debriefing four big incidents to which we were called. Though I was not directly involved with any of them, I had connections to three of them. One of the witnesses' mother appeared in my office distraught about how close her son had come to dying. The funeral for one was held in our church, though I did not preside. One of the people I work with had a cousin who was involved in another one of the incidents. What happened each time touched not only those directly involved but the first responders, the VSU advocates, the families of the victims and their friends and on it goes.
Our actions, even the seemingly insignificant ones, are like a pebble dropping into the still water of a lake's surface. The stone breaks through the water and in doing so produces ripples that spread and disturb the stillness. I need to keep reminding myself, that what I do matters. My actions can harm or heal far beyond what I can imagine. It is a humbling thought and when I remember it, it calls me to offer the best that I am to world. Some days that is easier than others!
PS. This post is #100!!
Last night was the team meeting for the Victim Services Unit that I volunteer with here in town. We were debriefing four big incidents to which we were called. Though I was not directly involved with any of them, I had connections to three of them. One of the witnesses' mother appeared in my office distraught about how close her son had come to dying. The funeral for one was held in our church, though I did not preside. One of the people I work with had a cousin who was involved in another one of the incidents. What happened each time touched not only those directly involved but the first responders, the VSU advocates, the families of the victims and their friends and on it goes.
Our actions, even the seemingly insignificant ones, are like a pebble dropping into the still water of a lake's surface. The stone breaks through the water and in doing so produces ripples that spread and disturb the stillness. I need to keep reminding myself, that what I do matters. My actions can harm or heal far beyond what I can imagine. It is a humbling thought and when I remember it, it calls me to offer the best that I am to world. Some days that is easier than others!
PS. This post is #100!!
Congratulations on Post #100!
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