A spiritual experience

Tonight I had the great spiritual pleasure of tuning in to a Catholic programme. It was truly transforming and uplifting.

I was particularly drawn to one of the speakers who is a native and who has been discriminated against and treated so very badly. I relate to that as my nephew is native. He was adopted by my brother and sister-in-law when he was 5 years of age. He lived with me for a time when he was in Toronto as well.

He told the story of his grandmother and himself as a little boy. They were attacked and robbed by some youth and left badly off. This grandmother was a spiritual person and instead of turning to hate, she turned to God.

For Christmas, she handcrafted three pair of moccasins for her attackers and brought her grandson to where they lived and gave them.

I was so touched by this story as this woman knew true liberation of the soul. Forgiveness frees the spirit. Her example was such a positive one for her grandchild.

Another man told a story of a song that a mother used to sing all the time to her son. He was a marvelous storyteller and in his tale, he showed the little boy growing from babyhood to adulthood. Eventually, the man left home to set up housekeeping with his wife and they too, had a child.

One day, the Mother called the son and asked him to come home as she was very tired. He came and she tried to sing him the song one last time, but was unable to as she was so exhausted.

He cradled her in his arms and sang the song for her.

Needless to say, I was in tears when I heard this story. It reminded me of two men, both called Mr. Campbell who used to visit their elderly mothers in Henderson Hospital, in the Medical Ward. They were right next to me and that is why I came to know them so well.

I remember telling both of them what good sons they were to their mothers. They would feed them and sit by the hour with them. I remember one of them saying that it was his turn to be good to his Mom as she always treated him so well. Both the Mrs. Campbell's died but they died knowing that they were loved.

What more can anybody want in life, than to know that they are loved.

The priest also said, and I agree, that we can take nothing from this world but the love we have shown to others.

How very true.

Such freedom when one thinks about it. We strive for more things, better accommodation, prestigious job, more money and yet we will all leave this behind us when we go.

What will remain in the hearts of our families and friends is the memory of the love and affection we have shown to them. Not what we have given them specifically, but how we have treated them.

Just like the two Mr. Campbell's, caring for their mother in love and affection. A profound experience tonight and what a blessing to have been able to see this programme.

This same man told the story of parents picking up school children from Primary School in Scotland at the time of the terrible shooting of the little ones in school. I could just visualize them holding their children close as they picked them up. He had been a teacher in a nearbye school.

Life is so precious and should not be taken for granted as each day is a new day - a gift from God.