a blog for wondering
My husband’s nickname for me is “pw,” short for “patwright.” I’m Pat, and my maiden name was Wright. I told you that to tell you this. We once had a conversation that went something along the lines of the following: Husband: Hey, pw, would you …
While driving along, we began discussing a project we were working on together. Since we usually have very different ways of approaching planning and doing, we had a conversation that went something like this: I observed that we had a lot to do to be …
Harry Potter!
One of the television stations ran a Harry Potter marathon recently (actually they do this pretty regularly so it wasn’t an event). I wasn’t watching intently (in fact, I don’t know which of the movies it was), but I did hear dialogue that ran something along these lines—Dumbledore: You’re unfailingly kind, Harry—a trait that is undervalued.
I agree with Dumbledore. Kindness does seem to be in short supply right now. From road rage incidents to airline melees to general rudeness, it appears that people have become angrier, more self-centered, and readier to act out their animosity. What happened to kindness? Has it become utterly extinct?
I hope not. I think not. I think not because I’ve experienced real kindness more than once.
A long time ago I had to have my gall bladder removed. I was hospitalized for ten days and took about six months to recover (this was before laparoscopy was the surgery of choice for this procedure.) As I was being admitted and while I was still in the emergency room, I remember lying on a hard surface and shivering. A woman in hospital scrubs came past the room where I waited. I must have looked pathetic because she stopped and came into the room. She asked if I was cold and if I’d like a blanket. Oh, man, did I ever want a blanket! She brought one to me and even wrapped it around me. When I thanked her, she said that the Lord must have sent her by at just that moment. I think so, too. That was an act of kindness; she received nothing in return for her kindness to me.
In November 2006 Charlie fell from a ladder and seriously broke his right side from his collarbone to his pelvis. He spent twelve days in the hospital. He spent several months doing various kinds of rehab. I spent those days and months doing hospital and rehab, too. We experienced kindness in ever so many ways—meals, visits, calls, cards, and prayers. Our friends who are doctors or nurses offered their professional expertise. Since he fell just before the holidays, friends offered their help with holiday preparations. It amazed us and touched us.
Having experienced these kindnesses and many others, I’d like to offer a few tips about kindness:
Kindness is one of the traits that’s listed among the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” The Holy Spirit is growing that fruit in us and using it to mature us and to reach out to others through us. Kindness matters. Kindness makes a difference.
“Your words are powerful. With a few kind words you can transform a person’s day and sometimes their entire life.” Nicky Gumbel
So go for it! Let your kindness shine!
Questions for you: What’s the most memorable kindness you’ve experienced? What can you do to show kindness this week?
I watch HGTV and know a lot of other people who do, too. I’m particularly hooked on the programs that feature a family choosing from two or three house options and then watching the experts turn the chosen one into a spectacular home. I enjoy …
Charles, our grandson, is in process—just as we all are. Currently he’s learning to ride a two-wheeler with no training wheels. Seeing a video of him wobbling along with his dad protectively trying to make that magical moment of independence happen brought back memories of …
Recently our son-in-law, Nate, received a virtual reality set-up. (Okay, the truth is that I don’t even know any of the terminology for any of this so you can commence sniggering any time you want.) Nate was over the moon when he saw the box; his excitement lit up the room. As soon as he got it home, he began installing it—in my technological ignorance, no easy feat. But he had it up and running in no time.
He & our daughter, Kate, invited us over to experience it. Oh, my goodness! How can the mind of man conceive such things? This mind of mine would not ever have been able to come up with anything like this.
I watched Nate and Charlie each play a couple of games. Then it was my turn. Nate helped me to get the gear on and adjusted. First he placed the helmet/headset on my head and snugged it down. Then he handed me the controllers—one for each hand—and placed the straps around my wrists. The real world fell away. I was in a room that looked something like the Star Trek holideck. It didn’t look entirely real, but there were things about it that looked pretty real. I was in a room in a game called Portal.
Because I haven’t played any computer games in years and those years have advanced the state of play far beyond where I was (which wasn’t far), Charlie, Nate, and Kate had to instruct me—a lot. While the controllers on each hand were the same, they did different things, and it didn’t come naturally to me. I’d press the trigger and nothing would happen, and one of my coaches would remind that I needed to push some other button.
I saw a virtual cube and could pick it up and move it. I could transport myself from place to place. That all seemed fine and fun—until I found myself in a room that had a drop-off into a lower level. I’m acrophobic so that made me uncomfortable. Nate pointed out that I could transport myself to the other side of the room past the drop-off. I did that. Unfortunately the drop-off was now closer to me.
I knew in my mind that the drop-off was imaginary, but my body wasn’t buying it. I was supposed to find the cube again and move it, but all I could think about was that drop-off behind me. I kept edging away from it. I couldn’t concentrate on anything but that drop-off. I finally admitted how uncomfortable it was making me. Nate asked if I was ready to be done, and I agreed that I was.
I wonder what would have happened if I had just stepped into the abyss. Would the game have stopped? Would I have experienced the sensation of falling? I don’t know.
What was real to me—the drop-off—wasn’t real at all. How often does that happen to me? What I think is real isn’t. What I don’t think is real is. I think that may happen pretty often. That’s fascinating and concerning at the same time. Is what I think real—or is it merely a mirage?
But here’s a truth I can hold to tightly: Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us, “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” I can know that this is always true—and always real, not virtual.
But I do want to try Portal again. I might just jump off that ledge. Or not.
I didn’t realize the blackboard (yes, it really was a blackboard—chalkdust and all) looked fuzzy. It seemed okay to me. But somehow or other (I don’t remember how this came about), my mom and her mom took me to the eye doctor. After some very …
Whe
n Charlie and I became engaged, I began a campaign for him to take my maiden name (Wright) rather than my taking his surname (Youther). No dice. But Wright is so much easier than Youther. People make fun of Wright by saying “left” or “wrong.” But generally they don’t mispronounce it. Youther, a derivation of Yoder, is correctly pronounced “yo – ther,” with the o being a long ō. But that pesky “u” causes all kinds of trouble. We hear “yu – ther” and “yow – ther” most often. Sometimes stay letters show up, “yown – ther.” I’ve grown tired of correcting it; I pretty much just respond now. See—Wright would have been so much easier.
Derived from my maiden name, his nickname for me has remained the same all through the years—“patwright,” often shortened to “pw.” It’s probably my favorite name. That’s where the “patwright” in the blog title comes from.
The “why”? Well, that comes my curiosity, my wondering, my loving to know the why of things.
That leads to a “why” question. Why another blog? There are as many blogs out there as there are stars in the sky. Why should you check this blog out? Let me share with you my purposes for writing this blog:
Romans 12:1-2, one of my favorite Scripture passages, guides me, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
I’m in the market for transformation. How about you? Check out patwrightwhy.com.
Questions: What’s your favorite name or nickname for yourself? What’s your favorite Scripture?