Roads go ever ever on,
Over rock and under tree,
By caves where never sun has shone,
By streams that never find the sea;
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains in the moon.
—The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkein
* * *
The road of life is a rough road. That can’t be helped. Even after retirement, the road goes ever on. Wear good shoes.
I retired six years ago. A lot of nice things were said about me and my work at the commemoration. Thousands of words were spoken—gracious, elegant, evocative—but, alas, I only remember five words. They were in the traditional “Charge to the Retiring Minister”:
Get yourself some comfy shoes.
Thus spoke the Reverend Pat Donohoe.
There’s no precedent in the Bible for her admonition, but then Pat has a flair for humor and metaphor, just like Jesus. Maybe in her eyes, Jesus wore Crocs.
Well, why not? The guy could be funny.
It’s easier for a camel to squeeze its butt through an eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
That’s funny!
And then there’s this:
Okay, boys. Let the one who has never sinned cast the first stone. Who’ll be first?
Maybe Jesus winked half the time and we just didn’t see it. I mean, it takes a real sense of humor to say: Blessed are the meek, they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the poor, theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, they shall be comforted.
Who can believe such silliness?
As it turns out, the way of Jesus is the way of joy. It’s not a way out of this world into some other world beyond. No, the way of Jesus is a certain way of being in this world, of being in love with the earth and all who dwell therein.
To love all creatures great and small, to love our neighbors as ourselves, to love our enemies, to love kindness and do justice is a hard road. It goes ever on.
Get yourself some comfy shoes!
I think Pat meant “shoes” as a metaphor. But I bought three pair anyway. Happy feet make the road less difficult.
Blessed are the smartly shod, they shall walk on air.
OMG, I did not expect to read THAT in your blog today! Thank you for the acknowledgement. I remember your retirement commemoration service well and all the joy and tears we all shared for all you’ve done, said, and been. But the comfy shoes comment I had forgotten.
Thanks for the reminder–it helps me justify that new pair of Danskos I just got.
Seriously, thanks for reminding us of the divinity of life on earth and the holy ground we trod over.
Words I miss from a pilgrim who has walked many roads.
Some that were needed and some just to see where they led.
Some say it is the road you choose that is important, others say it is the journey.
Joni Mitchell – some say Hell is the hippest way to go, well, i don’t think so but I am going to take a look around it though,
So much Divinity to explore in the most unlikely places,
Life is hard and we need each other, alone and together.
Amen Randy and Pat! Just bought a new pair of shoes fitting perfectly, so I thought! First day wearing gave me a heel blister! No matter–put a bandaid on and will break them in–I love these shoes! Six years! Your send-off was beautiful and lighter than air–everyone had comfy shoes on that day at SPC thanks to you!
From the croc wearing crocs (that made me giggle aloud!) to the wise and humane anecdote from Pat to acknowledgement that Jesus had a sense of humor (or irony?!), today’s was a joy-full Devil’s Gift. And sometimes, when I want the sacred touching the sacred, I run barefoot.
Ah – excellent advice. Once again I smiled with your guidance. Thank you.
Growing up on the Wood farm I seldom wore shoes. Going shoeless, I found at 5 or 6 yrs. young, had it’s draw backs, like when I got stung by a bee on my “this little piggy went to market” toe. Mom got me a pair of pretty little pointed toe shoes to wear to church Easter Sunday. Ouch! Reminds me of the pool boy in the movie “Birdcage,” Stumbling, struggling painfully to answer the door. Many of you have heard me say, “God didn’t mean for us to wear shoes!” I stand by my belief!!
Thanks so very much. I’m so glad you share stories with us from that road you been walking a long time. It’s fun and joyous looking for the spark of divinity in everyone.
Ask how he was doing, a friend said, “My feet hurt, and I don’t love Jesus like I should.” That made me laugh. Turns out Jimmy Buffett has a song “My Head Hurts, My Feet Stink and I Don’t Love Jesus.”
For several years, I wore off-the-rack $15 work boots. A segue from four years of Army boots to late-1970s college chic and affordable. Dress shoes in my Middle Ages were business appropriate for D.C. politics and later teaching high school.
I usually wear sandals these days. It’s more about fit than faith. I have been known to wear them with socks. There was a time I looked askance at older gentlemen doing sandal/sock. Lore has Jesus wearing simple sandals sans socks. Of course, lore for a lot of people has Jesus with blue eyes and flowing brown hair.
Life is a varied walk. Roads, paths, and sometimes there is no clear road or path at all. In those times we should ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” I am certain he would not make fun of old folks with their socked sandals.
Amen! Pass the plate.
Loved this one! And both you and Pat. Whatever spirit guides us, a sense of humor is an absolute necessity.
Such a joy & pleasure to read your words, & others’… smiling & feeling the connection to all of you and to the many beauties all around – including my comfy shoes…& the Tolkien quote is stunning!! Many thanks…🙏🏼😊❤️
After reading your blog, I am reminded of a poignant line from Exodus: “Remove the scandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” On the long, sometimes rough road, there is a need to take off our shoes, whether “comfy” or worn, and recover a sense of wonder.”
As the poet E.B. Browning reminds us: “Earth’s crammed with heaven/And every common bush afire with God;/ And only he who sees takes off his shoes./ The rest sit around it and pluck blackberries.” Thank you for your years of creative and imaginative ministry, as you enabled us to “see”, take off our shoes, embrace divinity within and without and not just “sit around…and pluck blackberries.”
Agree. It is hard to live that life of joy if your shoes hurt. Thank you for reminding us to live THIS life as best we can.
Size 13 EEE. The only shoes I ever really wanted were calf-high brown-tanned leather laced moccasins with soft soles. Not happenin’ here in the land of tap dance. I should have made them long ago.
“These shoes are made for walking’…” Then the song veers off in an unrelated direction.
Walking has always restored balance and well being in me. I’m getting my steps in now; however, I’m not covering as much ground as I once did. 🙂
One of your very best and so poignant for us retirees! I look forward to every day, but some don’t turn out as I thought they would! Thanks for making me smile!🥰🙏
And just to add to my sister Pat’s comment…we come with a flair for footwear honestly.
Our father and grandfather were both “shoe” men. Dad sold shoes and managed women’s shoe departments in major department stores from Richmond, VA to Youngstown, OH, Dallas, TX, and Roanoke, VA. Grandpa Donohoe, with his 8th grade education, rose to become a Vice President of Selby Shoes (known for the arch preserver we all now enjoy in our Danskos). And Randy, I think somewhere along this road, there’s a connection with your mom who sold shoes with our dad. But enough sole searching for this evening. A good and comfy pair of shoes paves the way for a life of adventure while grounding us in trying times.