That is so beautiful Hope. It is kind of that full circle of life, that the age old wisdom really is becoming children again. To live fully in those wonderfilled moments, exposed out in the wide open spaces and speak simply from the heart. And we simply know because we are pulled along by heart strings.

Beautifully said, Erin. " When it's too late to love, or to love well." I think violence is a result of the lack of imagination, especially redemptive imagination. What happened in Ferguson was a complete breakdown in humanity. The violence, or death of a white person will not bring about any kind of justice for the black community. As much as we think the civil rights movement has changed the landscape of America, it hasn't. We are seeing a re-segregation in America, especially in communities like Ferguson. Marginalized, stereotyped, poverty and rampant unemployment, and a sense of powerlessness. Most white people have no connection or relationship with this reality. Justice, or a non-violent redemptive resolution can only come about in a middle ground of understanding. Yes, it will be extremely difficult...but, maybe that is the non-violent fight. Iraq/ Syria is something much more insidious. It is fundamentalism, and fanaticism. This is what bothers me so much about "religion ", and one of the biggest reasons I left the church. When the premise of your religion is soley based on belief, you have drawn a permanent line which can not be moved and must be defended. We are seeing some change by progressives, but just to a point. Usually there is still that fundamental mark that can't be touched. So leadership has do again pursue the depths of human imagination to find something truly redemptive...something that embraces something abundantly human, not religious. Sure it is a great risk to move beyond belief...to something profound life giving, and engaging. But if the majority pursued this path, I think there would be hope. ISIS is radical, fanatical extreme religious faction...using extreme violence to strike fear in the soul of a religion. Can love change them, likely not...as you say to late to love. But, I think the Muslim community everywhere needs to tell of a different islamic religion of compassion with the loudest voice possible...change the tide. We need to fight them also to stop them. But, maybe to there will be a time of somekind of reconciliation. If it can happen in Rwanda...it can happen anywhere. Anyways, Erin sorry for rambling on...but, your " when it's too late to love, or to love well ", kindled some great conversation. Peace.

Oh, you are so right Erin. After early in my life of spending 10 years in the Army, almost going to Vietnam and witnessing the whole aftermath of a needless war...and the cost on generation of young men. And then what is going on in the world today...Iraq, Syria, Afganistan and eastern Ukarain. It's a mess of broken humanity. Do we just write of the seemingly impossible words of Jesus, this scandalous god-man. I think we know in our hearts, there is profound truth there. Maybe the wisdom, and the hard journey is moving as close as we can to that place. I think war, the I idea of just wars has become a default switch to affirm our theological thinking. Maybe if we really thought of more redemptive ways, stretching our human imagination to resolve our diffrences for the common unity of humanity would be a step in that direction. Our history definitely tells us war, and violence never end our human conflicts. Surely our existence, our future will depending on moving in the direction of non-violence. I think the hard words of Jesus...require a whole lot more imagination on our part.