Recently, I enjoyed a memorable night celebrating the birthday of a friend's restaurant. It was a most hospitable, friendly and, may I say, diverse evening. As it happened, I happily sat with a German-Thai family, whom I got to know very quickly. They were so kind and gracious, good fun. The German "godfather" so readily and comfortably shared about his life, which began as a baby in the midst of the destruction of post-war Germany. It just went on from there, featuring tough beginnings, hard work, challenging times and colorful life adventures, sailing beyond the shores of the Fatherland. It all blended into a wondrous tapestry.
As I listened to his unfolding a captivating life story, I sat privileged and grateful to meet a good and decent human being. By now, his life was slowing down as he had been hit by cancer. I could feel both his sense of resignation and fulfilment, earned by having endured a life well lived, full of its own colour and excitement, but now rapidly changing. We could both agree on a key life theme - enjoy life in the now, as best we can, for it is too short.
Here was a man who saw life through firsthand experiences of joys and hardships, of people loved and enjoyed, of success and loss, of love and heartbreak. All this has produced a truly kind and human person, who appreciates our raw humanity and glories in being able to enjoy that humanity with others, who come his way. He is a person of the big picture, drawn by his own rich experience of undiluted life.
I know he does not realize it, but life experience has sculpted my "birthday party host and friend" into a saint. As St Carlo Acutis, who died in 2006 at the age of 15, realized, each of us is a unique person, called to be a saint. We just need to follow our call from God, whatever that may be. Being truly human is our universal call. How we live our humanity, as a response to our own unique opportunities, in our own unique ways, is what makes us who we are.
