The Oasis - November 9, 2022
Author: Rev. Eric Dupee
November 09, 2022
A friend of mine, who happens to be a retired rabbi, recently had a birthday. On social media, he received a large number of Happy Birthday wishes from friends from the many stages of his life. In order to describe how touched he was to hear from so many people, he used an image I wanted to share with you. He wrote, “Sometimes life feels very fragile, but this web of our relationships gives me a firm footing in the ever-changing world even as we all change together.”
I love that image of a web of relationships providing a firm footing. A spider’s web can have numerous aspects, but they are all connected. My friend added, “The web shakes a bit in the wind, but it is firm in its shaking.” We’ve all probably seen a spider’s web shake in the wind. The web remains firm, even when it is being jostled by the strong forces around it.
I wanted to share that image as we enter the holiday season. I think it is a good reminder to value each of our own webs of connection. How are we tending to that web? Who are the folks in our lives who don’t have such a strong web of their own? How can we provide a firm footing for those around us?
Today, I give thanks for family, friends, and folks at First Parish who provide me a firm footing when the winds of change blow.
A Prisoner of Hope,
Eric
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