The month of October is especially famous for homecomings, whether family or church/revival related. High schools, colleges and universities also go all out for October Homecomings usually highlighted with football games and the selection of Homecoming Queens. Whether youth, family or church related homecomings are always viewed as happy and joyous occasions.
October is also the month that begins climate change when some individuals especially look forward to coming home-–from school, work or whatever the daily occasion that draws them out in the early frosty morn, even though sometimes there’s no one to come home to.
Among my childhood memories I fondly recall getting to the point of the road while walking home (no children drove in those days and very few women) that I could see the light in the kitchen window of the parsonage across the road from Schaeffer Memorial Baptist Church on the hill in Christiansburg (then Cambria, VA) and know that Mama was always there. That also assured there would be food, warmth and shelter from the brisk October air–a very different situation than that of today’s modern households. These memories usually become more vivid with the first chill of October.
As we get older, however, homecomings begin to take on a different dimension as with those who depart this earthly existence for a more permanent homecoming–with five of such situations occurring within our immediate family within less than the past as many weeks.
The effect of such permanent homecomings is especially hard on those who are young in age and in spirit. With maturity, however comes understanding and with understanding comes trust–in Something and Someone greater than ourselves or in our ability to comprehend. If our youthful homecomings are so joyous and eagerly looked forward to, how much greater the ultimate homecoming must be which is far beyond comparison. Some may have been young or old, ill or afflicted or others seemingly perfectly well with everything to live for, for many years to come, but what present or future pain, horror, disease or trauma might they be released or protected from?
Our grief is too often for ourselves who have yet to live with the daily uncertainty in their absence and in our absence of faith. This inevitable Homecoming awaits each of us. The only uncertainty is when–which is its own blessing and one of the “sweet mysteries of life.” We are not always forewarned and many who are refuse to heed the warnings. Our best recourse should then be, to treat all with whom we come in contact (regardless of frequency) with utmost respect, even when perceived unwarranted, for it is evident that most will live up or down to expectations.
May we then strive to show others the same love, tolerance and forgiveness that we are shown for our misdeeds and misunderstandings. May we strive also to become examples instead of judges, more pro-active than reactive and treat each greeting and departure as though it may be the last. At some point we are bound to be right.
“And now I give to you a commandment which shall be for a covenant between you and Me-,” state the Baha’i Holy Scriptures for this new Day of God,–“that ye have faith: that your faith be steadfast as a rock that no earthly storms can move, that nothing can disturb; and that it endure through all things, even to the end…As ye have faith so shall your powers and blessings be. This is the balance, this is the balance, this is the balance.”
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