Saturday, November 14, 2009

Eleanor Rigby

Andy and Robert do visitation most Monday nights. They drop in - a "cold visit", they call it - and spend a few minutes listening to the cares and concerns of those who let them in. The visit can be spurred by a problem the person is having, or the fact that they haven't been to worship in a while, or just because they are on the fringe of the congregation. While they are out, I stay at home and go about my evening after a hard day at school.

"All the lonely people, where to they all come from...
All the loney people, where DO they all belong?"

Today, I went with Andy to a garage sale at the home of one of out members. She was selling pews from the original church building here in Pleasanton, and we've been wanting one for a while. The member is chronically ill, and does not get out. Today, she told me that she cannot even go to see her mother because of the flu everywhere.

After we chose our pew, I decided to stay a while and visit some more. The guilt of my neglect was weighing hard on my shoulders, and I just had to spend some time with this woman. The joy with which she greeted me shamed me, and as I left, her call of "I love you!" almost broke me.

"All the lonely people...."

Forgive my lack of compassion. Forgive my laziness.

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