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Eighty

5/14/2020

3 Comments

 
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It seems incumbent to at least comment on turning 80, today, May 14, 2020.  On the whole, getting this old is not as surprising as I thought it would be when I was 40.

In all fairness, however, I think I have made about as much impact on the world as I will.  And I have to admit I’m a little disappointed not to have achieved some things I thought I might.  I did not become an Eagle Scout, get inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, get a Fulbright scholarship, earn a PhD from St. Andrews University, become pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago, get an honorary degree from my alma mater, be awarded a Royal Thai decoration, have a book published by a well known publisher, or become vice president of a university.  All of those things were real possibilities at some point.

I feel much more keenly about a couple of other near-accomplishments.

In the 1980s I discovered how to transform pastoral theology seminary courses (preaching, church administration, worship, pastoral counseling) from performance-oriented skill-building into academically advanced courses with research potential.  It could have improved and upgraded the seminary and the level of leadership in the church here in Thailand.  But I didn’t get to continue on the staff of the seminary.

Twenty years later I finished the third re-write of a book, 40 years in the making, about holistic spirituality – how to assess what really is going on when one is growing and when one is deteriorating spiritually.  I have the concept, and it is refined and compelling. Spirituality is a growing topic to which I could have made a significant contribution.  But I have never been able to get a handle on how to present it in an accessible and usable format.   

These two big ideas would have been very helpful to “the world”, but they will die with me.  I’m resigned to that now.

At this point in birthday reminiscences I’m supposed to turn to positive memories and list things that turned out right.  That list would be acceptably long.  Failing to do it might seem like a ploy to coax others to shower me with reassuring compliments.

Let’s agree that those who know me can name reasons they are thankful for our relationship.  For my part, I am satisfied that during the past 80 years I have fulfilled one of my high school teacher’s commandments, “Ken, you are part of the answer.  Stay that way.”

I have been neither heroic nor historic.  But as that philosophy teacher understood, the first task is to discern the real questions, and the second is to resolve to be part of the answer.  In that I have done tolerably well. 
3 Comments
Fan
5/14/2020 04:12:28 pm

Happy 80th birthday, Ajan Ken. Keep asking questions and being answers:)

Reply
Aline Russell
5/15/2020 09:01:43 am

Ken, you have indeed been part of the answer. Thank you!

I do hope you will consider submitting that book for publishing! It sounds like what many of us need in this world today!

Reply
Bruce P. Grether link
5/16/2020 02:15:30 am

I think you're being a bit humble and hard on yourself here, but that's you also. You haven't an ounce of pretense in you. You've had an amazing life and touched the lives of many others, including mine. Also, your knowledge of Thailand and Thai culture is remarkable and extremely valuable. You helped make one of my own books significantly more accurate. Thanks for making it this far, and many more happy returns around that great big golden sun! Peace

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