Food for Thought?

Perhaps there is a blog reader or two who share a Facebook friendship with Larry Harnly, as do I. Larry is a retired sportswriter from Springfield, Illinois. True to his inquiring-investigative nature, he frequently posts questions for Facebook for folks  to answer. Often times the question is light and trivial in nature but occasionally, Larry will ask a question, which begs a deeper reflection before responding; such was the case with yesterday's inquiry.

Larry posed this: "What is your biggest fear?" I immediately thought about my fears and realized how they changed over time. When I was about nine years old, I recall walking in the evening darkness to get a newspaper for my father. I always imagined someone following me. I can recall at age 12 or so, I did not particularly care for the roller coaster at Highland's Amusement Park in St. Louis. That thing was old and appeared dilapidated. In my adult years, I have never fancied air flights. Of course. Like others who fear this experience, I enjoyed the actual quickness to my distinction and the flight itself; I just 'feared' the damn thing might fall to the ground because the fuel gage was broken.

Oh, those parenting fears! Children at play, teens driving automobiles and teens, in general, making good choices. Oh, buddy!

Those thirty-seven basketball coaching years found me realizing who were 'homer' referees and then fear they might show up to work a road game.

A reality check enters your journey when one day a high school teammate dies. The sobering thought sinks in with shattering surrealness.  It is at that moment you truly begin to accept the inevitable, which is best defined as 'life longing for itself.' New life begging for room at the table.

No it is not death I fear. I resolved that thinking long ago. As a Christian, I believe there is eternal life through the crucified blood of Jesus Christ. That which I fear (today) is the ever looming possibility that a malady could render me as a burden for family. How do I thus cope with that fear? Well, Christians also believe that God has a plan for each of His children. Therefore, whatever my plight may be I must trust that it is connected to the Master's plan for me and somebody else.