September 18, 2009
The Second Half
Lost keys
BY DEACON JIM AND ANN CAVERA
How often do you “misplace” something? The older we get, the more we prefer saying an object has been misplaced rather than actually admitting we lost it. Not being able to remember where we set something down is usually a minor inconvenience, unless it’s something important like a set of keys. So, when one of us couldn’t locate a set of keys last weekend, both of us began racking our brains and retracing our steps. We were overwhelmed by the number of places where those keys might be. First, we thoroughly searched the car and all of the plantings between the car and the back door. While we looked, both of us were praying the old prayer, “Tony, Tony, turn around . . . “ By the end of the first day we had looked every place we could think of indoors and out. We began making a mental list of the locks that would have to be changed if those keys didn’t turn up.
The second evening, Jim had a “bright” idea. He took a small flashlight that had a highly focused beam and began making a new search of the darkened rooms upstairs. The bright, narrow beam was perfect for spotlighting one small area at a time, and the anxiety of trying to figure out a whole room at once disappeared. Within a short time he discovered the keys under a pillow that had been moved when clothes were being changed. If he hadn’t eliminated the surrounding area and narrowed the focus of his search, those keys might still be “misplaced.”
For us, September always marks the beginning of the time of year we are most likely to feel overwhelmed. In addition to caring for our grandsons, we face an expanding number of obligations and deadlines from now until the New Year. When we think of finding time for our faith, we have a sense that we are trying to hold on to a valuable set of keys. Where do we start? Can we find time for Eucharist, prayer and scripture while we squeeze in a little more time to visit shut-ins? Can we fill in at the clothing bank while we continue to teach CCD? It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that faith provides the key to being stable and productive in every other area of our lives. Eucharist brings everything else into focus while prayer always leaves us with a sense of peace. Scripture helps us remember that whatever we face has been overcome by those who have gone before us. Taking a little time to help someone else serves as a good reminder that our “mountains” are really “molehills” next to what another person may have to climb.
Deadlines and obligations won’t change, but we do need a new perspective for the coming weeks. Focusing on Eucharist, prayer, scripture and service can unlock our faith and keep us from “misplacing” the only keys that really matter.
Deacon Jim and Ann Cavera are former residents of Evansville; their award-winning column is a regular feature of the Message. Contact them at www.catholicseniorspirit.com.