The Meaning of Life

Listening to a story about Hurricane Harvey on CBC the other day, it became clear that behind the disaster and suffering that folks down south are enduring, human souls are helping each other more than ever. The tremendous flood and desperation has inspired individuals to drive their boats out into the streets, day and night. Hundreds of boats all there not to save themselves but to give life to others- picking up strangers, old ladies, families, even dogs. And the striking thing is that these boat people report that even in the midst of all the difficulty and darkness, they have never felt more meaning. Harvey, as terrible as he is, has awoken the source of meaning in human hearts. For the secret goal of human development is to move from being a taker to being a giver.

And yet, there is an even deeper secret of human development. This secret was found by our dear Hamo Hammond who crossed the threshold last month in Ottawa. And just before he crossed, I asked Hamo what the greatest blessing in his life had been. With tears in his eyes, he said, “I could say may wife, I could say art, but the most blessed I have felt has been in the past few days, being able to really receive love- allow myself to feel so loved by my children, by my wife, by God. This is the most important thing in human life”, he said.

Yes, Hamo. How hard it is for us to allow ourselves to be loved.

May Hamo and Hurricane Harvey be shining beacons for us of what becoming human really means, to give and receive love.