The world didn't give it and the world can't take it away.

In my role as chaplain at a nursing home, I am required to complete a spiritual assessment for each person admitted to our facility, whether it is for short term rehab or long term care.  Getting to hear individual stories, listening to lifetime journeys is always a wonderful reminder of how diverse and rich is the human journey.  Recently, I was talking with a woman who has come to live with us for long term care.  She is strong, vibrant, self-assured and open to the new experience of living in a nursing home. I rarely find someone who accepts this change as a new adventure.   

When I asked her if she practiced a religion or had regular spiritual practices she simply said, "I have no religion." I followed up by asking if she recalled a religion of her childhood. She answered, "When I was a child we were Catholic, as an adult I was a very good Catholic. Now I am 96 years old and God and I don't need anything between us, we don't need religion, we have each other."  

I loved that answer and I have reflected on it for a few days now. If religion is to help us get close to God, if it is to be a way to deepen the relationship, is it not perfectly natural that the end goal of union with the Divine puts religion in second place, or in some cases like hers, eliminates it altogether?  After sitting for a long time listening to my new resident, I left the room blessed and happy that I have a new friend.  I  know she has much to teach me.    

I shared the following video with my residents recently. They LOVED it. When my elders take to something so positively,  I sit up and take notice, for their opinion contains great wisdom... 

Enjoy..........