Respect and Reverence
Seeing another human being
With respect and reverence is redeeming
To cast your gaze with questions you raise
Values soul, dignity, and being.
© Forrest W. Heaton December 2023
Credit to David Brooks in his 2023 book “How To Know A Person” for thought expressed in this poem.
Dear Readers—This blog post is not the one we had planned. First, many months ago, we asked our kids and friends to tell us their favorite Christmas memories. We completed our draft as a compilation of fond memories, hopeful expectations, faithful traditions. Later in this year, we realized we needed more expansionist thinking, more respect of other peoples, other cultures, other faiths and re-wrote the post. Then, even more recently, we woke up to the death and kidnapping of Israelis and now wake up each morning to the deaths of more Palestinian babies, children, women, men and Israelis, not to mention Ukrainians and Russians.
In the spirit of respect for each human life, we decided to delete the draft and completely re-write this post to this one page, focusing on people of all faiths and asking ourselves and readers to pray for a wider care for human life. We feel this is witnessing the faith of our grandparents and parents. We feel this is what we were taught when we were young. This is what we taught our kids. This respect is also behind all of our posts which deal with “leave it better than you found it.”
Thank you, dear readers, for being partners in this effort.
Happy Holidays! We Love You! Mary & Forrest
