Kathryn Hudson

Such a memory - a sacred moment when the world fell away for one of us, leaving the other behind – reminds me that each instant we have is so, so precious. Which leads me to thinking that I definitely can be more mindful of that preciousness: I can be more clued in, paying more attention, playing the Game with more focus, and finally, more Soul. I am in the early stages of writing a book on Soul Purpose, and this morning, as I was going about my morning walk came upon this elegant statue called “Esperance” or “Hope”... but to me, I am seeing the goddess as an official, calling a TOUCHDOWN!

SCORE!!!

I remember well the fear in my Dad’s grip as he faced that chasm that will lie before us all, that moment of not-knowing. Sure, he was speaking to my Uncle Joe (who had passed on prior), and so perhaps was heartened by that, but overall the experience of my Dad was more trepidation, while that of my Mom (with whom, as chance would have it, I happened to be when she passed over as well) seemed more akin to relief.

So what is the difference? How can one person go peacefully as another might struggle against that passing? I think that might be connected to another kind of passing... yep I am talkin’ about football! (American football, that is!) lol

One difference might be about how heavy the weight of this life has been, to what degree we feel like we have been tackled by life. Another might be found in how softly (or harshly) we judge our Game, whether we see ourselves as a success or failure, a team player or star.

Still another is what interests me most today: to what degree do I allow myself to be a receiver, instead of shouldering the weight of the role of Quarterback?

I grew up believing that I needed to be quarterback. Hell, in my (all-girl) dorm at Georgetown (go, St. Mary’s!), I even was the quarterback of our intramural touch team (Glory Days lol.) In life, I had learned that if I wanted something, I had to go get it... and that there were sacrifices that needed to be made to do so. I became a planner!

Planners are worriers who try to be prepared. Quarterbacks are charged with making things happen in the heat of play action.

BUT WHAT IF I DON’T NEED TO BE A QUARTERBACK?

What if I can relax, some?

If Covid has shown us anything, it might be that life is so unpredictable, we cannot plan for everything. Ultimately, we have precious little control.

But fortunately, we don’t need it!

Imagine that God gets to be Quarterback (by the way, this is already the case: Who Else can put the whole planet in a timeout?) If God is Quarterback, maybe we can get to play the role of receiving? (Gimme the ball, gimme the ball, gimme the ball!)

As I move into this next book, as it writes itself and teaches me along the way, maybe the cover should be this photo of Hope, of the TOUCHDOWN!

As a receiver, all I have to do (which is not nothing, by the way) is these four things:

Stay healthy - maintain a high level of restedness, health, and acute attention.
Steer clear of defenders - the inner chatter that sees danger at every turn can shut it now; God the Quarterback is in charge.
Move! Stay agile and flexible, attuned and ready to play.
PLAY! The age of martyrs is past. We are not meant for misery. Allow Joy to be our measure of success.

If we get into the Game this way, miracles and Hail Marys attend to us. Adjusting the Game plan, we can have much more fun in the second half.

In the heat of the Game (and who can deny that the Game of life has reached high intensity in this strange 2020?), maybe the time has come to recognize that there is a Game Plan, and that it is maybe not the one we had in mind?

Maybe it is time to let The Quarterback get the job done, and flow with the plays...

If so, when the time comes to walk off the field, we can go tired and happy, knowing we have given all for All.

RIP Dad.

version française ici

by Kathryn Hudson | Credits