After our consult with Dr Sheehan this week, it became obvious to both of us that we have conserve our energy and outside activities. We have, as they say, "a long row to hoe!"With Sabine's immune system compromised by this disease and always the possibility of the disease flaring up someplace else in her body, I had to deeply pray and think about how I was going to focus as her caregiver.
So with a very sad heart (and there were many tears about this decision) we will have to take leave of my pastoral and priestly duties. While we may change our roles as "priest and parishioner" we will always be loving friends together!
My decision was effective today (March 8th) as I met with Andy and members of the vestry at Kathy and Andy's home near North Lake this morning.
We know you all will understand -- but that doesn't lessen the pain of this decision. We have spent over three years wonderful years with you -- and you have been a wonderful parish in which to serve and lead.
Many of you have followed our weblog over the months and know of my love of poetry and how I have been able to express myself through poetry when prose seemed to be difficult and cumbersome. So please permit me to share with you what I am feeling about all this through the following poem I wrote to Sabine:
i feel the pull
that choice we men must make
the choice between
love and career
between
work and life with our beloved
to be a stay at home dad
to say no to a transfer
to turn down the promotion
we both laughed
when i said i wanted to be
chief of the world
if not perhaps then
a bishop
but within my joking
lies a bit of truth
such things tear and form we men
(and not surprising
some women today as well)
and now later in my years
the old pull comes again
i know it so well that we are old friends
at three score and ten
the pull between
family and career still raises its
ugly head
do i spend the rest of my life
caring for you?
or caring for others?
it’s still a choice
i feel the pull
but it doesn’t win
it’s not strong enough
to pull me
away from you
this old dog has learned
a trick or two
