People do care

Stop explaining yourself to people who didn't want to understand you from the start.  (Koendanai)

Ronan Keating's song ever stands as a classic wedding song with the words - "you say it best when you say nothing at all".  Actions not words matter.  This is a good life philosophy.  

This past week, I came upon an article from Australia by a woman, in her 60s, who had been adopted.  Given my own life story around adoption, it grabbed my attention.  As I read it, I found that, even with a shared story of origin, her story was not mine and I just thought to myself, "What is her issue?".  Even on admitting that she was adopted into a good family, she was still demanding a public apology for being adopted without her consent.  Why?  Can't she just live with gratitude for the good life she enjoyed and get on with life, beyond all the trials she suffered along the way?   After all, the bottom line is that, to this day, people do care for her.  

I then read her write that any narrative of adoption may revolve around sympathy, or at least for some.  "No way!", I react to myself.  My response is: "Act on your life.  Do some good with what you have been given."  Then, at the end of the article, there is a plea from the editorial staff in Melbourne - "Support respectful conversations in a time of division".  Now, doesn't that say something!  

My considered reflection is to ask myself - "Who is apologizing for the genocide in Gaza or the evil of war in Sudan?".   I further ask myself - "Do some people expect far too much out of life?  Do people not recognize that life is primarily about giving, not just receiving?  Do they not recognize the care that they are already receiving and be thankful for that?".   

We may not see all that is good in our lives.  We may become too comfortable and nonchalant.  Despite all that we may or may not see and experience around us, there are people who do care for us.  

One great giver of care was Pope Francis, who died a year ago.  He shared with us a primary rule for life - the via caritas, the way of love.  His way challenges us to be ever kind and ever merciful, seeing beyond people's fragility, self-centredness and even lack of love or cruelty.  In this way, we uphold the dignity of life and live the vision of God.  Thank you my friend and good shepherd for you do care.