So, I went to a Lent sevice last night. I haven't been to an Ash Wednesday service for years. I honestly don't remember the last time. But, I got to go last night. And the local Presby Church here in Stony Point is just a half mile down the road and is such a beautiful church, with a rather small congregation. The pastor has an inter-faith background, and wasn't Presbyterian when she began there, and is going to Peru in June. It was a nice service, we were invited to come and be in a very non-traditional way, with very traditional verses and songs. It was quite a dichotomy.
It seems quite poignant that my first day at Stony Point is the first day of Lent. I have not observed Lent for some time, and it was usually on accident. I hadn't decided to give something up until our resident Rabbi was unsure if she should offer me wine, and as a joke, I said wine was fine, I had given up coffee. I had been thinking that I was just going to take this time here at Stony Point during Lent to be purposefully intentional; with my blog, my relationships, with my actions, with my life. I feel like that could be just as meaningful, if not moreso, than depriving myself of coffee. Today, however, I realized that I am going to give the no coffee thing a real shot. I had three opportunities to partake of the good brew today, and something tugged me. I did say I gave it up. I should be impeccable with my word.
On a side note of interest, I have been asked more than seven times in the past twenty-four hours if I was Presbyterian. I found it kind of strange to ask that considering I drank wine with a female Rabbi, one of the co-directors here at SP is Quaker, many of the Christian volunteers don't go to church and many more don't know what they believe. This is not a judging statement, so please don't confuse it for one. I just found it interesting that to get to know me, I needed to be categorized and labeled. It made me wonder about that radical hospitality that I spoke of before. Is it possible to uncategorically accept, understand and appreciate someone for who they are, as they are, when we are so many, many different things all at once?
Another aside, I am so excited about being here. I have so much to learn from the people who have chosen to be here with me. And now, I must revel in the lesson of the YAV, just be. For that is when community forms, and fellow volunteers become peers, who in turn become friends.
Viva la revolucion.
katie
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