This morning I'm thinking about Susanna Wesley. She's an icon in Methodism and, while I don't love everything about her, we did have some things in common. We both had a bunch of kids. She had 19 and I had 4. We both had husbands who were never home so we pretty much had to raise the kids on our own. We both worried about the kind of things our young adult children were in to. Two of hers turned out really well. I think I'm going to do ok on that score but it remains to be seen.
Here's what I did admire about Susanna Wesley. When tragedy came her way - and it did - big time, here's what she did: She got up, combed her hair, read her devotions and, generally, took care of the days business. She carried on.
In the last four days I (and most other folks in Central Florida) have carried on.
- On Sunday afternoon we were astounded at how many people showed up at various places around Orlando to give blood. Some stood in line for eight hours.
- Chick fil a opened their doors (on Sunday, mind you) and gave away sandwiches.
- On Sunday evening, as we always do, we went to the gym. The "Ice Den" where the hockey players hang out on Sundays was jammed like it always is. In the gym we greeted the same folks we always do. Nobody looked afraid to be out in public.
- Last night there were several gatherings around town for candle light vigils. All crowded with folks from different faiths (and no faith) who wanted to honor these young people who've lost their lives.
- At water aerobics this morning the ladies were happy and grateful (accept for one woman upset by something Pat Robertson said. Why, oh why would this good Jewish woman even care what Mr. Robertson said?)
- Finally, this morning Orlando Sentinel columnist, Scott Maxwell, outdid himself with a column titled "Who We Are." He told the world who we are. Including Disney and Shakespeare, rich and poor, Park Avenue and Bithlo, conservatives and gay pride paraders. And alligators. And cock roaches the size of toy poodles. We are cutting edge. We have diversity. Most of us are transplants. Here is his final line:
We are lots of things. But what happened in that nightclub on that one morning isn't one of them.
That is not Orlando.
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