The Enormity of the World's Grief; the Great Gift of Companions

I just got an email from some old friends, Gene and Dorothy Chao, now living in Arizona. Their email had the following sign off: 

"Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world's grief.  Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now.  You are not obligated to complete the work.  But neither are you free to abandon it."-- from the Talmud.

I immediately thought--these old friends are just like my new friends in the Karpos ministry at St. Mary's in Painesville. Thinking of all these friends, I wrote the following little poem:

Thanksgiving for Companions

Dear Lord

we thank you for our family

our friends, these amazing companions

we share our lives with these women

and men of courage share

our bread and music, song

and suffering

thank you lord for these amazing gifts

let me be a gift to them also

[Bob Coughlin / March 29, 2014]