I recently had a week that was one of those incredibly busy weeks. I knew that on Friday, at the end of that week, we would be traveling out of town to spend the night with my son and his family. His daughter’s birthday party was on Saturday, and we intended to be there both for the party and for the soccer game afterward. Nothing like watching a little one play soccer!
Because my week was so jam packed, I made an extra effort to be organized. Every night I put out things I needed to remember – gifts and gift bags for my granddaughter, a book for my daughter to borrow, an outfit for my newest grand baby, items to wear, food to share. I was proud of my skills when I packed the trunk of the car on Thursday evening. I was feeling very prepared.
When we arrived Friday night, we sat down with my granddaughter to open her gifts. Her birthday had actually been on Thursday, so it was time to open presents. I had brought four bags, and she was delighted with the first three. Then came the last bag. She reached in and pulled out tissue paper – brightly colored and very pretty. Then she drew in her breath. She gave a little gasp. Big surprise. Nothing in the bag. Nothing at all! In all of my careful planning, I had neglected to place the last gift in its wrapping package. That gift was still at home in my closet.
We suffer. We love.We succeed. We fail.
I apologized, and I immediately reassured her that I would put the gift in the mail as soon as I returned home. As is her nature, my granddaughter was enormously accepting. She did not complain once. Perhaps, she is used to the fact that her grandmother’s goofs.
I was telling this story to my sister as we were walking into a store the other day. Years ago we may have been mortified by such an egregious omission. That day we both totally cracked up laughing. It was so wonderful to be old enough to know that we all goof! Everyone, at some point, blunders and stumbles. Yet we often spend much time covering up our mistakes, making excuses, feeling guilty, or pretending the error never occurred. We compare our in-sides to the out-sides of others. We forget that underneath our skin there is our common humanity. All of us live lives replete with triumphs and tragedies and mostly every day kind of stuff. We suffer. We love.We succeed. We fail. At times we navigate well. Other times we need remedial assistance.
Each of us is a sinner. Yet each of us is loved without measure. Each of us is called into relationship with the Divine through service to others. We may not have skin that looks alike, but we all have skin. We may not see the world in the same way as our neighbor, but we all have a way in which we perceive the world. We may not make the same mistakes as those around us, but we can be certain that we will all err. My hope is in the Nature of God – that we can all depend on Everlasting Mercy.
The Rev. Deacon Kitty Davis serves as deacon to St. James Episcopal Church. Kitty is also a therapist and is a native Wilmingtonian. She and her husband enjoy life on the waterfront, life with dogs, parenthood and grandparenthood.
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