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My Dad was just released from the hospital on Wednesday. He’s 92 and lives in Minnesota. I don’t think that I’ve talked with my family as much as I did this past week that he reluctantly spent in the hospital. And I probably haven’t prayed as much in a long time either. Isn’t it interesting how differently we all react to a fairly serious situation. My sister, as usual, was quite emotional about Dad having to go to the hospital. She was lamenting how he has been going down-hill the last couple of months. That same day when I talked to my brother, he said, “I think Dad has been getting stronger the last couple of months.” Me? I think he’ll live forever. Maybe I am afraid to face the fact that, yes, he is getting older, and yes, my parents are going to die. I just don’t know when. I’d prefer later.

Why is it that we don’t talk to our families more, especially when we are separated in distance?
I spend four days a week at the Falmouth Hospital as a Chaplain. The patients in the hospital have a lot of time to think. A lot of time! Most start thinking about what is important in their life. Invariably, the most important thing to the patient is their family. So why don’t we communicate more? I guess I’m speaking for myself. It’s one of those things that we want to do but we just don’t take the time to do it. We get caught up in everything that is going on around us and forget about the important things in our lives. Our lives are too busy. As they say, we are caught up in the rat race.
Reflecting back on the past week, there are a couple of things I want to do. One thing is to keep more in touch with my family. Not only my parents and brothers and sisters, but with my own children and grandchildren. Why should I complain that they haven’t called for a while. I can pick up the phone too.

The other thing I want to do is take time to sit back and reflect on what is important in my life. During this Lent, I promised myself that I would meditate more on my relationship with God. Now that is going to expand to my relationship to those people most important in my life. After all, Jesus said the greatest commandment is “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.”

By the way, Dad is doing fine. The hospital didn’t want to let him go because he had them all laughing in stitches the entire time he was there. I picture my parents out golfing a couple times a week this summer, just as they did last year. I pray that I am able to live life as fully as they do.

Deacon Greg Beckel