[Dialogue] [Oe List ...] A Very Brief Collegium

[Sherwood Shankland via Dialogue]

Hey Gordo – thanks for your brief collegium which has triggered a wave of notes back to you and Roxanna. 

Now that you’ve got our attention…I was thinking that this ‘turn’ in your journey could be the occasion for several online dialogues in the days and weeks ahead. “We” could suggest some topics, you could select a couple or more and convene a dialogue for all of us to join. Such as: “The final miles”…(essentially already in motion) or, “Sustaining a life of service” how to stick at it, in the midst of the future blowing wildly in our faces… or… 

Well, not to prescribe your priorities or add to your bucket list, but your engagement going forward with all of us could include some swan-song dialogues…Blessing on the road ahead!

In Peace, Sherwood 

 

From: OE [mailto:oe-bounces at lists.wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of Gordon Harper via OE
Sent: Thursday, September 3, 2015 10:19 PM
To: ICA/OE List Serves; Order Ecumenical Community
Subject: [Oe List ...] A Very Brief Collegium

 

Beloved Colleagues --

 

Few of us, as the end of life approaches, get the chance to speak directly to anything like our whole community.  It appears that I have that opportunity, and I’m taking advantage of it.

 

Last week, after two months of medical testing to find out what had suddenly landed on me and drained me of my strength and usual energy, Roxana and I got the diagnosis.  It’s a rare form of fairly fast moving (typically two months to two years) leukemia, called CMML.  There’s little to be done to treat it, especially in someone my age (about to be 79). I'm getting good medical care and have a fine local support community here in Seattle.

 

First of all, I want you all to know that I am at peace with this, as is Roxana.  My life--in good part because of you--has been rich, crazy, wonder-filled and a unique and unrepeatable journey with the Mystery. And no one knows better than you and I how to celebrate both our being here and the completion of our journeys.

 

I am taking this rare chance to express to all of you how much you’ve meant to me over the years--as the amazing collection of individual nobodies we are that rode out like the Man of La Mancha to throw our beings into the challenge of bending history.  More than that, you all contributed your own weird and special gifts, neuroses and idiosyncrasies to the makeup of our corporate life and community, all over the world.  Without you, there’d never have been such a community; so thank you, thank you, thank you.  

 

I hope to be able to chat with at least some of you individually or collectively over the time remaining to me, through one of the dizzying array of communication tools at hand today, and give you a little abuse. (What else would you expect from me? And please--do return the favor.) We’ll see how things work out.  In the meantime, this note will have to stand for my salute to all of you, my heartfelt gratitude for your having been and continuing to be who you are and for that remarkable webbing and mission that connects us.

 

The peace of God is yours this day --

 

Gordon  

 

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