"Be Reconciled If You Can"

I got off the flight from Washington to Tampa less than an hour ago. I'm meeting my brother and my son at my mom's house. She died just about a year ago and the house has finally sold. We need to sort, save, sell, or give away everything left in it. Lots of memories there.

On the flight I was (providentially?) reading Rod Dreher's new book The Little way of Ruthie Leming: A Southern Girl, a Small Town, and the Secret of a Good Life. In it Dreher tells the story of the life and death from cancer of his sister Ruthie.

They were both small town southern kids, but while Rod though that happiness was Starhill, Louisiana in the rear view mirror, Ruthie flourished there. She married her highschool sweetheart, they built a house, and had three girls, while he worked as a fireman and she taught middle school.

When the news came that Ruthie was ill--possibly seriously ill--Rod made plans to fly back home from Philadelphia where he and his family were living on the next available plane. But before he left, he posted this to his blog:

To be sure, I'm not at odds with my stricken family member, but let me beg something of you: right now, on this very day, ask forgiveness of those you've offended, and offer it to those who have offended you. Be reconciled, if you can. Don't live as if you have all the time in the world, because you don't. None of us do.

Change your life. Repent. Love. It's urgent. You have no idea how urgent until you get a phone call like the one I received this morning.

I'm not sure there's anything else to say, except that he's right. Don't wait for the phone call. Do it now.

And here I am in Florida with family.