With pumpkin pies still cooking in the oven and my family asleep upstairs, I am forced to endure the silence of the night. I have come to love this time of night, when sounds are still and noises cease. I can let my thoughts out and stretch. It is within this "stretching," however that I wrestle with unformulated ideas and opinions.
It was during my mixing and measuring of my pies that I began thinking about life. My pumpkin pie recipe comes from my sweet Grandmother (Nana) whom I continue to (and will forever) miss so dearly. It is funny how a person's memory can live on in so many forms- even here, I remember her in my pie recipe. I find myself so fortunate to have memories living on around me. These thoughts lead me to wonder about other people not so fortunate.
I am currently reading a book by Henri Nouwen called, "The Wounded Healer." The premise of the book is how ministers of the Gospel are going to need to adapt our message to be relevant to the changing culture. The fascinating part of the book is that it was written in 1972. The "recent studies" he highlights come from studies from the 60's. It is remarkable at the near-pinpointed accuracy Nouwen has formulating our current culture.
Nouwen calls humanity in the future (us of today) a "Nuclear Man." This term is dual in meaning. He uses this term first because he foresees humanity as becoming very introverted and isolated. While a person may indeed seem sociable and friendly, in reality, many are disassociated with true friendships and even family. Secondly, man living in our present age are post-Nuclear. We all live with the knowledge that Nuclear threat (though we do not like to think or talk about it) is real and could end life as we know it in a wink of an eye. Perhaps life in 2012 is not quite as nuclear-fanatic as life in the early 1970's, however we still live knowing the frailty of humanity against such great evils.
The one element of Nuclear Man that I began thinking about while making my Nana's pumpkin pies is the lack of many in our culture to relate to the past. Nouwen calls this "Historical Dislocation." Because Nuclear Man is afraid of imminent doom, we (not knowingly) have detached ourselves from history, both past and present. This disconnect can be seen in young adults not interested in having children "How could I bring a life into our evil world?," or in lack of parenting because "what difference does it really matter." Or, "Why work towards a career since no one really knows how long life will last?"
I read this chapter about a month ago and have been chewing on this notion of detachment from history. The ramifications of remaining isolated, set apart from the whole of creation is staggering. If we do not see our lives in the framework of history, I fear we also loose hope. As a Christian, so much of my hope is future oriented. Of course, God is my present help in time of need, but so much of the promises of God we have yet to see or experience. I would much rather live a life knowing I have worked with God to bring His Kingdom a step closer in my lifetime, than remain a sad, isolated life apart from history. My little 80, 90-year-life is just a bleep in history, yes- BUT within my little "bleep" have a learned & taught those around me a little more than what we know before? Has my influence been helpful or destructive to the whole of humanity? Life is a MUCH bigger picture than we really understand if we cannot stand back and see our lives in the scope of history (past and present).
So I wonder, can a Christian be exempt from History? How can we proclaim the Gospel and feel like our past and future is irrelevant? I think about the many relatives and friends who have gone before me, paving my way for what freedoms and experiences I have today. Almost like a tree that is continually branching out, if my branch decided to separate itself from the trunk, what future can my branch possibly have?
Oops! My pies just peeped. Time to pull them out and go to bed!
So maybe my thoughts are getting way too out there for you (I get deeper the later the evening goes!). Or perhaps I've got you thinking too. Are you connecting with your past? Are you investing in your future? Or are you living disassociated from your past and isolated from your future? Interesting questions to ponder...lots of formulating yet to do!
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