Dying to fear of death … ( 03 / 31 / 2012 )
Dying to fear of death … ( 03 / 31 / 2012 )
“ In everyone ’ s life , at some time , our inner fire seems to go out , whereupon it is then burst into flame again by an encounter with another human being . We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit .” ~ Albert Schweitzer
One year ago today , while preparing to set forth on a 900 + mile Peace Pilgrimage from Chattanooga ( Tennessee ) to Pompano Beach ( Florida ), I received an invitation from Robert Estling to share about my Journey at his Seraphim Center ( in Gainesville , Florida ). The week prior to his offer , I had sent several hundred emails to pastors and community leaders all along my proposed route , informing them of my Pilgrimage , and offering to stop-over and share about my Journey with them & theirs if they wished … Robert was one of the two people who responded .
Now I fully understand why a group leader would be more than hesitant to invite a stranger to speak to his or her congregation — especially a “ freak ” like me . I do not hide the fact that my message of “ radical Kindness ” is a challenging one , and I openly refuse to receive any compensation for sharing about its Selfless Way . This is an incredibly frightening combination for most pastors , and I am not at all surprised that so few responded to my offer … And yet this is not a post about rejection , but rather one about acceptance . It is not a post about fear , but rather a testimony to Courage .
I am sure that Robert was a tad nervous about inviting me to share for his friends . I could have been a thinly disguised religious zealot … I could have been completely off my rocker … I could have been a rambling lunatic , for that matter . And yet Robert Estling heard that the message was Love , and that was enough for him to take the risk … Robert Estling set aside his very reasonable fears and extended a hand of Kindness … Robert Estling chose to shrug his shoulders and open himself up to a stranger .
Long story shortened : I walked the Pilgrimage and did indeed make it to Gainesville , where Robert treated me like royalty from minute one of my arrival — showing me gentle Kindness from the day he picked me up in Lake City to the morning I departed for Orlando a few days thereafter . Indeed , the healing care he showed me during that time was one of the reasons I was able to complete my Pilgrimage a few weeks later … Robert chose to be the change we wish to see , and he inspires me still to do the same .
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