I am, I said!

I am, I said!

A hit song by Neil Diamond; remember it? - About not being recognized by those whose skepticism can put someone down even if their accomplishments are insignificant by the world's standards.  Who remembers us once we die?  Or to put it more bluntly - who cares about us while we are still alive?

What does it mean if we who are just another person in the crowd may leave something for others to read or follow in some manner?  The gifts of many are meant for all.  

There is an old saying “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”  So volumes of information are collected and saved for the rest of us to absorb that information as a safety net to build on.  So it is with numerous persons who leave their biographies just in case another might use their past experiences as a guide for the rest.  If those who accomplished something had not left results of themselves how could we, maybe years later, grow from what might have become positive guide-lines to grow on?  

Life’s experiences of others before us teach us about the past that we may only view through pictures in a text book or a visit to the library.  The pictures may peak our interest and perhaps one might say “my grandfather was there and he said” etc. making the picture come to life.  We may even write about the incident from his point of view making the story come alive for others to read, so many years after it happened. 

It can be exciting to read old newspaper clippings at the library that display in pictures and prose activities from years ago.  These carefully put together events occurred before most of us were born.  History comes alive through the perspective of one or more persons who wrote for the present period of their lives, and left us a kaleidoscope of what might have been hum drum then but now opens our minds to what we have grown with. 

The present time in life has grown from the history of the past.  Our adaptation of the present may one day become reading for someone not yet born and inspire them to follow just because we collected our thoughts and/or experiences that others may not approve of.  

A word of caution; do not allow the skepticism of those that may say; “there already are numberless writings in the same area you are describing, why waste your time”.  “Who do you think will read what has already been in print?”  We write because there is always room for more knowledge to become available in a way that no one else can relate any subject that may appeal to at least one person.  

Just in case I never mentioned this story; A preacher one night was awakened by God three times and told to go the local railroad station and preach.  He couldn’t understand why since it was very early in the morning.  Finally he arrived at the station and on a lower level preached a sermon on Christ.  There was no one around, so he thought.  Some years later Billy Sunday told his followers that he came to Christ early one morning as he was at a railroad station and heard a sermon on Christ.  Can any of us say that an inspiration didn’t seem good enough, but went through the task of sitting down and began to compose?  

I am, I said!  And I shall be heard even though no one else may think so.  God draws straight with crooked lines.  Who is to say our synopsis will never be the inspiration for a new pope, a president, or a mother teaching her needy child to love God.  

Ralph B. Hathaway, Spring 2021