Gifts
Tom Soma
“Nothing among human things has such power to keep our gaze fixed ever more intensely upon God than friendship.” (Simone Weil)
Six months and six days into the journey, I’ve passed the peak for autumn foliage in New England. Fading leaves still hang on precariously (more in Connecticut than Vermont)—but a light rain or modest breeze will soon bring their downfall. Winter’s in the air—time to turn south.
Today marks the official halfway point of my journey—good excuse not only for a change in course but also a grateful tribute.
Perhaps the most unexpected highlight of the trip is the time I’ve been able to spend with friends and family. I say unexpected because, with few exceptions, I’ve generally not known exactly when (or even if) I’ll reach an intended destination. And not everyone is available on short notice. So, each time I’m able to connect, it seems serendipitous.
“The reality of God,” writes Krista Tippett, “is most powerfully expressed not in ideas and proclamations but in presence.” I’ve felt that presence from the Pacific to the Atlantic. College classmates I haven’t seen for decades, professional colleagues from both recent and distant past, high school cronies, and of course, my children, parents, brothers, and sisters have all opened their homes and hearts to me. Along the way, I’ve made a number of new acquaintances who I hope will remain life-long companions. And close friends from Portland remain in touch via phone, e-mail, and Facebook. So, despite the miles separating us, they’re never far away. All of them are unique and precious gifts—and each is part of my ongoing dance with divinity: God in nature and God in people.
One of the marks of friendship, as someone recently volunteered, is the ease with which you talk about the important stuff. Another is the ability to take up right where you left off, no matter how long it’s been since your last visit. I’ve experienced both—and as Simone Weil so eloquently points out, nothing “has such power to keep our gaze fixed ever more intently upon God.”
To see God in the face of another is truly awesome. Thanks to all of you who continue to treat my eyes.
(Hartford, CT)