"If we simply love that which is worthy of love, we will never love at all. The Lord loved "the Church," Israel, exactly as it was. You cannot love the Church as it was fifty years ago. That's a cop-out. The only Church you must love is the Church today." (R. Rohr "Radical Grace" p. 76)
Bruce Springsteen had a song called "Glory Days." If I recall it was pretty much about sitting around recalling days that you think were so good, because your present stinks. Most of us have some period of our life that we glorify and mythologize as if that were the perfect time.
It really doesn't matter what type of organization you're in, religious or secular. It is always hardest to love the current manifestation of the organization than it is some past one. As things change we become disillusioned or disappointed because that connection to our past is gone, and suddenly that thing feels no longer worthy of our love and support. Subconsciously we'd almost rather see it die than embrace what it may in fact become.
To a certain extent we are making a statement of worthiness. There are things worthy of our love and support. There are also parts of life that may not be "worthy" but still need our love and support. Who knows by loving something that doesn't feel "worthy" you might bring to it some real worth.
Do you have organizational relationships that seemed to have changed, while you weren't looking? Perhaps a church, or a college, or a club. I know there are many places that have been important in my life, that are no longer as they were when I was there. Then again I'm not the same person either. And maybe because we've both changed, I can find a way to love and appreciate what that place has become.
Blessings,
Ed
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A very apropos topic for me. My office is moving next week, from an old-fashioned cube-zoo to a more open and modern workspace, and it's a tough thing to go through. Some people are going to be in tears to leave the place they know so well, to go to a different end of of town, a new building, an entirely different workspace. We are going to have to learn to work an entirely different way. It's not going to be easy but real change never is.
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