Ecclesiastes… And You

THURS., MAY 24, 2001, 9:08 AM
TURLEY PK., CARBONDALE

The discussion in this morning’s Bible study group was for you, a bit strong and long on Win’s trip to Australia and not enough on this favorite book of yours, Ecclesiastes. You have always liked this contribution to Scripture, but now you find the “philosophy” and the message being “more and more yours.” You are closer, each day, to 75 years, and you have feelings comparable to those of The Preacher. Life will not be much longer, BUT… you have loved the life you’ve been privileged to live.

As your body works less well and the weaknesses become more evident you still can recall many years of quite excellent functioning. It is fun to recall the achievements of this life, but it is less fun to realize and admit that there will be fewer and fewer of these as life “plays out.”

So, you are pleased that, totally, you can function pretty well in what you need and want to do. You can still participate adequately in this Thursday morning group, most of whom are close to you in age. It is one of the “hallmarks” of each week. Oh, it is only slightly troubling that there is not more than you “have to do…” for, I’ll say, you have accepted rather well that there is little you “have to do,” and “if it doesn’t get done today, there’s always tomorrow.”

In one sense the Preacher is right on, for one your age (and you assume he was at about your stage in earth life) – “all is vanity and a chasing after wind.” Oh, you’re proud of some of what you accomplished, and you had your “time” of being fairly well known, in your profession, but that time is now past, and what you did was like unto “a chasing after wind.” For most of you who do create some reputation, such has little to no “lasting power.” What is done now, by those younger, may not be better, but it is “newer,” and your dominant culture values the new… with few exceptions. You knew this, but it was not a good reason for continuing as an active professor.

It is better to accept what has been as of now, a “chasing after wind.” Wind can be useful, but most of it, like that you’re experiencing now, is of little to no consequence. It blows away smog, and “creates” a bright, blue sky, as you experience now, but you know that wind also will abate and other conditions, better or worse, will supplant this “weather.”

The Preacher was not troubled by the prospect of dying, even as he offered no great hope for continuing life. You, also, are bothered little by approaching death of this body, for I have assured you… and you have “pretty well accepted” that the life of your spirit will go on, and you will be quite pleased to return to a “place” in the spirit world best for you.

So I say to you that while some of your accomplishments have been as “a chasing after wind” this life journey, as Bob Russell, has been quite worthwhile in terms of the maturation of your spirit. Oh, there still are some challenges ahead, some of which relate to bodily and mental losses. Can you accept, with some calmness… even joy… that life, whatever the losses, can be a means for spiritual/soul development? Whatever the condition of your body and mind, there is ALWAYS the opportunity for spiritual growth. And this is what “goes with you.”

I affirm, of course, that what is called the “mind” is, in normal earth life, a function of your brain, BUT is also, and FINALLY, a function of your spirit. As you pass on over there will be no need to remember dates, facts, places… unless these have some rather direct connection to the functioning of your spirit.