Roy’s Sunday Letter for August 2, 2026
The What Was…What Is…& The What Will Be Of Life
Sometimes the memory connection is the posting of a photo or description of an event, who was there, what was accomplished and enjoyed together. Other memories and connections may be painful both then and even still now. “The What Was” parts of my life are the ways, over time, we each together became who we are today.
Watching and paying attention to the “What Is” of local and national news can require patience, not allowing the reporting of harm, or the destruction of land, ocean, and animals to be the only news I receive. The importance of a wave to my neighbor, supporting a youth group raising funds to support the local food bank or attending a new City task force to over-view the growth of Data Centers are also a part of the balance of my day.
I listen as friends tell me of their concerns, even fears, for the months and years ahead. The look ahead to “What Will Be” requires courage to not turn away from emerging challenges but continuing to make medical appointments, cruise ship bookings, civic events that may be on your 2027 calendar.
My meditation group encourages me to live and breathe in my Present Moment. And yet, the “What Was and the What Will Be” parts of me also want their own space. I live connected to all three, mostly separated, but some days all at the same time. I want to treasure the past, present, and future of persons, events, and learning experiences that change me, continue to unfold within and before me.
Some food for thought and my reflections:
When you have time, find a comfortable chair relaxed with both feet on the floor, recall a past event that gave you pleasure. Foe me a wonderful memory happened in 1970. Jim Greene, Director of Campus Ministry, brought 20+ of us together at In the Oaks retreat center in Black Mountain, North Carolina. For 4 nights and three days we shared our ministries, our individual campuses, and ourselves. Today, in my soul’s eye, I see this gathering of What Was in front of huge fireplace and sofa, I hear our stories, our words even now with more gratitude than ever.
My next encouragement is to reflect upon What Is. That same comfortable chair grounded with your feet comfortably on the floor is a place to begin. Beth and I often attend a Noon Sunday ‘arts’ movie at the Modern Museum with friends Debbie and Charlie. Afterwards lunch in the Museum Cafe is about the movie and general catch-up. The movie and lunch is a What Is experience we value.
Beth and I are settled into our neighborhood and Pershing Ave. home. We have elder friends moving nearer to family or into one of the senior independent or assisted living apartments. Our What Will Be decisions are both known and unknown,. We will hopefully make these decisions together, being brave, showing courage, and always with devoted love.
Roy of Was, Is and Will Be
Roy, I cannot tell if you’re writing, or topic, or my attention span are improving. But, it seems to me the Sunday letter just keeps getting better and better.
What a practical and helpful guided meditation you offer us! I will make time for this activity before I lay my head on my pillow tonight!
sL.I have a Senior Editor who pushes me for a more 1st person.
My 1st draft was 3rd person.
But,I do adapt and shift
If I did not she will resign!
EnTo 1) shift to meaningful writing without becoming 2) boring not easy.
Encouragement always well received….Roy
This is an interesting part of life that I and we live in. I find joy in being connected to life, friends, moments, and getting out side and being connected to nature with its life, beauty, and wonderful surprises. Breathing in the wonders of a day, a walk in the rain, a hellow to a friend or a total stranger. Taking advantage of this time of life offers us time to reinvent ourselves. We are fortunate to have this time in our life to participate in the “now” and in the “new” experiences that are waiting for us. There is much beauty and intensity to discover and emerce ourselves in. We can use this time to bring out the best of ourselves and each other.
Once again you have brought up a thought provoking topic. I will need to ponder those questions, What Was, What Is, and What will be. Truthfully we can only control What is,happening in the moment. We can remember what was and relish the great memories and we can somewhat plan for what will be, but again we often lose control because of family, health, financial freedom and age. What Is can be something we control. We are beginning a new year at The Closet and because we serve the children in the FWISD we have so many new hoops to jump through. The bottom line is we want to get uniforms to the children in need. Because the State is now in control of our district raising test standards is the top priority not how a child feels about themselves. We want to help and they choose to hinder that’s What Is right now, we need to find a way to change it.
A new, more complex year. More rules. Some maybe helpful. masters than education and safe, well dressed students.
Heroes all and UCC also.
We all live with all 3 space and time dimensions.
Balance. Not being thrown off our path…..more.
WE keep at the hope and good outcomes of it all…..together.RB
What was involves many photos that were on the bookshelves in the guest room where you and Beth have stayed. I am packing each up and sending to the people involved in the photos with a card or letter. It’s a gentle opening of the hand to let the past quietly take it’s own path. Present, ever present, the pups keep me in the here and now. What will be, a complete mystery, with a holding of miracles to unfold. Like seeing you and Beth—-ha! Love you so much.
On instances of reflection on this life lived I often think of the path that was laid out for me yet unseen. Like the branches of a giant tree there will be many branches to this path; each taken by a decision made before coming, and at, that intersection. We don’t know the path forward. We can plan for it but this path throws us all curves of deviation. If one looks back at that path taken it is not linear but circuitous and it was made by one’s decision at that time. This path has brought us all to where we all are today one decision at a time. I can point to at least 8 major decision points in my almost 80 years of walking my path – how about y’all?
Great thoughts and reflections, Roy. The “What Is” is crucial and most important, because it is the only thing that is for sure. The here and now. But it must be supported by the “What Was” because that’s what got one to the now. I believe that more important than the “What Was” is the “What Will Be”. That pulls you in a direction, makes you move, hopefully forward into something exciting, new and different. It keeps the mind active and leads one into a future. Whatever the “What Is” is, there is a future. Allow the mind to prepare for that future, for tomorrow, and hopefully many tomorrows.