Teaching an Old Dog (02/11/2024)

I stopped at the market just to get a couple of items. I was in a hurry. I parked, hopped out of my car and started toward the store when I heard the honks. I turned back to my car alarmed. Had I forgotten to turn off the car in my haste? I knew the car would honk if the keys left the vehicle while it was running. I started back to my vehicle when the honks started again. This time I realized they weren’t from my car but from the car in front of mine. I looked intently at that car. In the driver’s seat were two midsized dogs looking out the window at me as the smaller of the two pumped the horn button. I couldn’t help but laugh.

I went inside, did my shopping and returned to my car. It was then I saw the owner of the van and the honking dogs. I spoke to him, telling him what his dogs had done and how funny it was. He told me that the younger of the two, Maggie, does things like that all the time. And that she teaches the older dog, Patches, new tricks almost daily.

Yesterday, this old dog (me) learned a new lesson. I wrote my blog, as I always do, and hit “post.” But it bothered me all day. I knew what I wanted to say, but I also knew that’s not what I did say. What I had posted was problematic. It ate at me. I finally was able to correct it, edit it, this morning. And I reposted it. This old dog has learned to make sure it is right before I hit “post.”

Most of us make mistakes. It’s our humanity. Admitting and correcting our mistakes is grace. I give thanks this morning for the grace of humility to admit I erred and the perseverance to correct my mistake. Life is like that. We learn as we go. Life is a cumulative adventure, and the learning curve can be steep. That is why we must keep our minds always open for new lessons and our spirits always open to correction.

If you read the blog yesterday, you may want to reread paragraph 2. I was finally able to better express what it was that had moved me so. I firmly believe that all of us are called to imitate Christ daily as St. Paul advises us today in the second reading from 1st Corinthians. We are to live as true to Christ’s example as possible so that others may see Christ through us – that we may be like the stained-glass windows in the cathedral of the world where others can see the Light of the World through us. We aren’t the light. But we can be instruments of the Light.

As we continue our journeys, let us remain open to the LORD’s Spirit that daily graces us and shapes us. Let us remain open to new insights, new lessons, new ways of walking in the Spirit and journeying along “the Way.” May we realize we aren’t done learning as long as we are this side of the sod. And may we always be ready to admit when we err and persevere to amend and atone.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.

Thought? Questions? Requests? – katewiskus@gmail.com