Take Nora for example. This week she had her final radiation treatment, the last of 33 weekdays of driving her 75+ year old self to the nearest hospital, 15 miles from her house, and waiting her turn for the ray, an ordeal which followed months of chemo and weakness and hair loss.
Belle brought flowers in celebration of this milestone. There was a card propped nearby which I assumed accompanied the flowers…but as the meal progressed, Nora revealed that she had brought the card. "Last night I read this quote, and I said to myself, 'Oh, I'll have to remember that and share it tomorrow.' Then I thought, 'Who am I kidding, I'll never remember it.' So I got up and wrote it down."
But she didn't just scribble it off on a piece of scrap paper and shove it in her purse, she wrote it out in her teacher penmanship, twice, and glued the carefully copied words on both sides of a folded piece of bright orange construction paper so she could read it while she shared it with us. When I am cruising near 80, I fervently hope I am still reading and copying thoughts to pass along to my friends. Now, let me tell you the quote. I think I'll call it...
Breakfast Club Lesson #1:
"Everything God does is purposeful. And since God is in each of us, each of us has a purpose."
She went on to comment quietly, "You know, sometimes you do kind of get to wondering if you still have a purpose…" I wanted to hug her on the spot and confirm that she does does does still have a purpose, and none of us can imagine the Breakfast Club without her. But I didn't. Later, I called her to get the exact words of the quote (I should have said to myself during breakfast, "who am I kidding, I'll never remember it...") and I did tell her how much I needed her presence, her wisdom, her perspective, her personal interest in my life. But I want to say it again, so...
...for what it's worth, Nora,...and Libby...and Belle, I think this is part of your purpose, to show up at the Breakfast Club and keep me grounded in what is truly important in life, and to help me let go of what doesn't really matter. My life is full and fuller, and I often feel pulled in three directions. But some days I struggle not to complain about all that isn't. (Not much time for "me"… This isn't what I dreamed of when I projected forward thirty years ago…Does what I do even matter?) Inconsequential stuff sometimes threatens to completely obscure my vision. I need the Breakfast Club to help me clean my perspective glasses and realize...
That I will not, any time soon, die of tomatoes. Or grapes. (And I have a family to consume those jars of pizza sauce and salsa and ketchup and tomato chunks…)
That I have the strength and stamina to hike with my son and his friend (even if I would occasionally prefer to sit and read a book for the afternoon.)
That when you are alone and it wasn't your choice, you still have a purpose even though your husband and/or children have gone away.
(And for the young -or older?!- moms, who feel that you are never alone, and that isn't always your choice - you just wanted to go to the bathroom alone one time this week - you too have a purpose.)
To be YOU,
The person God is calling-leading-allowing-shaping-directing you to be
this day, this week, this month.
So, keep looking for and following your purpose,
right now, right here, in this place, in this season of your life.
Because everything God does is purposeful.
And since God is in YOU,
YOU have a purpose.
And that was my lessson from the Ladies of the (Breakfast) Club this month. They have so much wisdom, so much to teach me, and they don't even know it. They are just being themselves - funny, real women whose friendships I deeply treasure. Tonight they've got me pondering my purpose and counting my blessings...and also counting the days until the next meeting of The Breakfast Club.
~Hummin' B~