Wednesday Wonder – October 24, 2024

Gentleness and Joy

I seem to have fallen into wondering with the fruits of the Spirit as found in Galatians 5:22-23. It wasn’t intentional, but that’s how it goes with the Spirit sometimes.

Gentleness showed up for me at my grandson’s birthday party. Most of the people sitting at the table had great anticipation for a smashing, messy response to Damon receiving his first piece of birthday cake. It was set before him with great ceremony; a big piece of homemade chocolate cake with white icing. Most people were trying to get him to smash his hand into it. But my dear grandson simply gently patted the top of the cake with his palm. He is at the stage where he enjoys textures, this was a new texture for him. Then, he tentatively stuck one finger into the icing and brought it to his mouth. And he continued to do that for several fingers full. He is my grandson; icing is my favourite part of the cake too. He did eventually pick up a big piece with his hand and try to eat it, but he was still being gentle about it. Some saw it as being tentative, but I saw the gentleness, especially as he patted the icing before trying it.

In a world that tends to move quickly, gentleness can get left behind. It takes time. Yes, we can gently keep people moving as quickly as we would like, but gentleness often means we need to slow down a bit. Gentleness has a certain slowness to it. The slowing down of the hand so as to gently touch a shoulder or arm. The slowing down of the words so what is said, is said gently, slowly and with compassion, when often we speak quickly and harshly, even when we don’t mean to do so.

My grandson was gentle on his cake. He wasn’t necessarily gentle as he opened his presents and played with some of his new toys. And yet, he was gentle as he came to sit with his Granny to read a new book. Somehow, he has known over these last few months that gentle is how Granny needs to be treated. That will change as I get stronger again. We will be getting a chance to roughhouse a little more as the months go by. I plan to be a hands on Granny now that the toxic medication will be leaving my system, but no matter what we do together, Damon will, I hope, always feel gentleness in how Granny loves him.

This gentleness brought more joy to my heart. In a world, or in this case table, full of people who are urging us to try just smashing our way through life, my grandson chose gentleness instead. Showed a bit of his character that was unexpected. Although I did note that his father tends to be more tentative of new things, and therefore approaches them rather gently. Not sure he got that from me though.

There was more joy in my heart as I watched my grandson investigate the new food put in front of him. Joy at watching him try out and play with his new toys. Often in ways that were unexpected to the adults around him. Why does everything need to be played with upside down!? And, of course, as we sat at the end of our visit to have story time with Granny, my heart burst with joy at the laughter and smiles as Damon and I enjoyed a new story together with all the surprises that come with a pop-up book.

Why can’t we have joy like that everyday? We can. We just have to choose it. On Tuesday, I rang the bell in the chemo suite. It signalled the last time I would have treatment there. The joy that radiated from me, and from the other patients who truly celebrate with you was palpable in the room. There was a little dance done as I rang that bell, and that video shall never see the light of day. But it was all done with pure joy. I celebrated the new life I have been given. I celebrated the gentleness, kindness, and patience (all gifts of the Spirit) that had been given by the nurses, volunteers and others during the course of treatment. And joy dominated as the doors opened to new opportunities and a new desire to share all the gifts of the Spirit with everyone I meet.

There is much gentleness and joy around us. Sometimes we have to just stop and look for or allow ourselves to experience it. Maybe you can be gentleness and joy in someone’s life. If you can, don’t let that opportunity slip away. It will mean more than you can ever know.

Thank you all for your patience this week as Wednesday Wonder came to you late. This last treatment, while mostly giving me mild side effects this time, has intensified the fatigue. But I will be up and ready to share by Sunday. See you then!

Peace,
Rev. Mary-Jane