Wisdom of the ages

For what shall we give thanks tonight?

Well, I had supper tonight with two of the oldest (if not THE oldest parishioners).  In fact, just two days ago, they both celebrated their birthdays.  One is now 94 years old, and the other is 99!  Hearing them speak tonight about having retired long before I myself hit the job market helped me to appreciate how much experience, how much love, and how much faith I was privileged to sit with.

We agreed to share a meal together to celebrate their birthdays, but I'm not sure that the birthday was the most important thing.  In fact, it was all about just sitting together, telling stories and enjoying some good food.  These two are full of faith, fun and have just the right amount of frolick still left in them to make life worth living.  Perhaps that's the secret to their many years.  They joked about so many things that I had a hard time keeping up with them.

Once the meal was complete, I suggested that we take a drive, to the former town of Creighton Mine.  I myself have heard about this place for years, but have never visited (until today), but one of my companions lived for years just a few miles away, so it was a great privilege for him to show off his old haunts, and to tell me about the little store that he and his wife ran in the nearby town of Naughton.  This is the stuff of legend.  Stories as they were told tonight are worth money.  It's hard to imagine that so many people who have such wonderful stories to tell are too often ignored by generations who could learn so much.

It was evident that this night could have gone on for ... days, but all things must come to an end.  In this case, I for one am happy to know that there is always another opportunity to spend time with these wonderful people.