frankly speaking: COUNT

This time last week

it seemed this posting

would be delayed a day.

Happily, here we go

right on time!

Hi There !

So, come on.

Let's count 'em up,

because they sure do

   COUNT.

Let's count up all those

"nobodies"

of this world who have made

all the difference in the world

to us in our spiritual lives.

Honestly, right here, right now,

let's

             COUNT

our for real "patron" saints,

the whole ones, the holy ones,

who have been our spiritual patrons,

our spiritual benefactors,

those who have endowed us so richly

by their lived example and sharing.

As a prompt, please permit me to share

a few examples from my own long

COUNT

of my patron saints and benefactors.

NOTES ON NOTABLE "NOBODIES"

WHO REALLY

COUNT


My Mother

-She didn't talk it, she walked it.

- She was the real deal,

really and truly

rooted, centered in

"The Love Who Is God."

- So centered, she was energized

to raise eight children and

one husband.

- Steadiness, generosity, hard, hard work.

- The good of all others always first and foremost.

- Encouragement, high ideals

   blended with workable practicality.

- A warm, nurturing way.

- Found beauty everywhere.

- Knew how to laugh.

- Knew how to cry.

- A right at home mystic.

        Brother Marius

- The care taker and handyman

   at the seminary.

- So singularly, totally in full focus on God.

- A mystic on a lawn mower.

        Father Anthony Vivona

- A quiet, not much noticed priest.

- Had the courage to be

who and how he really was.

- Introduced me to

the contemplative, mystical life by

his passionate love affair with God.

FYI

The weekly greeting here at

"frankly speaking"

of

"Hi There !"

comes from Father Vivona.

That's how he always greeted me.

         Rita "Ma" Willett

- Rough, tough widow.

- Raised thirteen children

in extreme poverty and

with a determination

of steely faith.

- She wasn't pretty or poetic,

but she sure was beautiful.

     Father James McMillan

- The greatest thinker and scholar

I ever met.

- Taught in an obscure setting.

- Introduced me to the intellectual life,

               one with soul,

      one open to unendingness.

               "Craenie"

- Strong, vigorous farm woman.

- Robust of spirit.

- Generous to a fullness.

- Could laugh at a bug walking backward,

and most of all at herself.

- Free and freeing soul.

- Contagious zest for life,

life received, life given.

OK, time out.

Let's list the

"nobodies"

of this world

who have made

all the difference

in the world to you

as you have come alive spiritually.

LIST OF

NOTABLE "NOBODIES"

WHO REALLY

COUNT

Let's think and pray, then name the top six,

and reconvene in ten

-___________________________________

-___________________________________

-___________________________________

-___________________________________

-___________________________________

-___________________________________



Ten Later

Pretty counter intuitive, right?

And there's the paradox.

Those named

so different and delightfully so

than the

"Big Names,

the

"Somebodies"

of commerce, politics,

entertainment, the academe.

Try this on.

When we come to die,

who will

COUNT

for us?

Bill Gates or our own Father Vivona?

Well, before we get there,

we have a lot of living to do

right here, right now.

So, over the next week let's focus

on those dear ones who are

our spiritual patrons saints

and

benefactors.

Let's let them be present to us anew.

It will renew and refresh us.

It will redirect and reconstitute our spirits

out here on the street of every day living.

Like most of them, we don't

             COUNT

        in the public eye.

          Thank God !

One less illusion and distraction.

Happily, though, we are invited

        to what really does

     COUNT

in the long ( forever ) run -

free, full, open, joyous,

rambunctious, expansive

ALIVENESS

received and given,

and that without end.

Numbers just can't go that high,

but we can.

We are meant to really

COUNT.

As my dear friend, Bill Engisch say,

"Love to all."

John Frank

**********

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   johnfrankshares.blogspot.com

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WELCOME!!!

**********************************

Friday, June 15, 2018

COUNT