Today’s Word from Karl Olsen, Minister of Music…
“From small beginnings come great things.” Proverbs
These last few weeks have been filled with graduations, from preschool through college. Many days or years spent in pursuit of… a diploma? a cap and gown? a helium balloon for your trike? a better life? Well, we know that… “What appears to be the end, may really be a new beginning,” Author Unknown. And, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end,” Seneca.
Whether they’re going into Kindergarten or off to a career, it is said that… “There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning,” Louis L’Amour.
And we know that hope and faith can carry a person far, as they’re about to head off into what’s next. Sometimes we’re sure what that next step will be and sometimes, not so much. So perhaps it is good to approach it knowing that…
“When you stand at the edge of all the light you know and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for you to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.” Barbara J. Winter
And we hope that eventually the ones we release from our nests will find their true vocation – and discover that… “Vocation is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s great hunger meet,” Frederick Buechner
We’ve heard from Robert Fulghum that all we need to know we learned in kindergarten, and it’s good to boil things down to basics sometimes. Here are the lyrics to John McCutcheon’s song, Kindergarten Wall:”Of all you learn here remember this the best:
Don’t hurt each other and clean up your mess
Take a nap every day, wash before you eat
Hold hands, stick together, look before you cross the street
And remember the seed in the little paper cup:
First the root goes down and then the plant grows up!”
John McCutcheon
Lastly, here is a song for this high school graduating class of 2020, written in 2008 by my wife, Deb, and me, when today’s seniors were in kindergarten. The beginnings of life’s learnings…
So, may all the grads go forth seeking joy, working for fairness and equity, living their faith, and finding good soil for all those tender roots. Don’t forget to nap.
Love and hope to you all until we see you again, for we are one… day… closer.
Karl
