Messages From Carrie
This week before I head to India
September 9th, 2009
Here are my short thoughts from the last few days before I head to India. . .
On Sunday and Monday I visited Warren Wilson College working with students and exploring the idea of vocation and calling. Two students took me to see the college's organic farm, milk cows and brand new piglets. You know just when you think life is so good it can't get better you get to hang out with the next wave of environmentalist - and piglets! These students are very awake, especially in regard to an imperative to create the change that will preserve our natural environment. But, also they are college students asking the questions that must be asked and wrestled with at that time of life. How wonderful to hear such deep conviction as well as all those important questions.
Went for a walk around a pond with two new friends. When I left they gave me good music, a good book title and good chocolate for the road. The chocolate was gone immediately, but the conversation followed me for days.
On Tuesday I sang for a group of older adult Brethren. These are people in their 60’s-90’s. Our culture assumes that older adults are conservative or not very sharp. It’s a terrible thing to assume when someone achieves the wisdom that can only come with perspective and years, we dismiss them as obsolete. I met several people at that conference who, in their older years, are smart, funny, energetic, knowledgeable and convicted about social justice and living with purpose.
It was very encouraging to see such a wide span of people all wanting to live intentionally and with passion. It was like spreading out a paper fan and seeing that both ends were equally as important.
Yesterday, I sat in the airport with a woman who was searching for what her heart might already know. When we finally begin looking at the unnamed thing, the unnamed thing is usually looking back.
Later, I chatted with a woman who wrote books about passing our experience and ethical knowledge from one generation to the next. The light glowed on her face from the oval airplane window as she told me about her life, work and the call that led her to begin writing about legacy. She was 70 and beautiful and totally plugged into something sacred.
Now I’m in Gainesville . . .tomorrow before sound check I’m going to go see a large sinkhole that has a totally different micro ecosystem.
Piglets, Sinkholes, young students, older Brethren – every day is kind of a miracle.