God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

07.12.2010 Reflection while writing Christmas cards…

The year’s rest time is running fast – and while giving another interview for a Berlin newspaper on the pope’s condom comments and sexual moral of the church, I also begin to process all the contacts and results of my journey. Emails must be written, contacts kept and promises fulfilled. At the same time I write my “compliments of the season” via email – electronic means sort of mass communication, but on the other hand: I could never write to so many people by hand. And while adding the email addresses, faces and persons and encounters are coming to my mind, so everybody I sent the wishes a memento is done and the person mindful considered for a while. And it is amazing to see the wave of emails back – and obviously then the standard wishes become real communication, ones catches up, exchanges ideas, hear of the lives of people and what keeps them going. In this sense, the electronic compliment of the season card is more of a possibility to get in touch again after a busy year and not to lose track of those, whose ways crossed my way in one or the other way….

It also brings to mind how blessed I am, with all the people I know, with my friends in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Bangkok, close to London, Wolfsburg and all over Germany, South Africa and other countries of this world – friends who take me as I am, share my thoughts, allow my needs and weaknesses and just letting us creating the space needed to be the person one is and as one wants to be acknowledged and accepted. Sometimes I think I have the best of it all – so diverse is my circle of friends, so open-minded, so friendly, so accommodating…

Yes, I am blessed and in my heart, it is the time of the year where I thank each and everybody of them for just being who they are. I wish sometimes I could bring them all together in one place, but I guess that would create a sort of chaos interesting to observe; worlds would come together and the whole diversity of my personality would be visible in one go. I am sure, we all have that kind of idea once in a while – which at the end entails the wish to be  acknowledged and loved as the “whole person” one is, with all facets. I wrote at another time about the observation, that we – most times – only reveal parts of us to certain people, being shy about other aspects of life, or fear rejection, or feel it would be a disadvantage, or maybe even not care for the moment. We playing roles, being only part of who we are. Maybe it is part of being a human being. Sometimes one is struggling to bring oneself in all the diversity of his/her own life under one umbrella.

Be it as it is – thanks to all those who are playing such an important part in my life – what would I be without you? I am sure in your hearts you feel the importance of this powerful connection – without making much words…

 

Filed under: Reflection, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, ,

HIV, Development and HOPE – thoughts of a Catholic priest

Being a Roman - Catholic priest and working in the fields of HIV and social development in Africa has its challenges. You will find stories and reflections about my work, about the church, South Africa and Africa, about politics and whatever triggers my interest. You are most welcome to leave a comment or to get in touch with me. Blogging means to initiate thoughts and discussions and for the writer to formulate what is loosely running around in the heart and mind in need of being sorted and spoken out.

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