~~ - - July 1999 Quaker Thought FRIENDS· and Life OURNAL Today Having a Gift Seeking Spiritual Renewal through Retreats in Nature Synchronicity Old Bello and the Calico Crab An Among Friends Independent magazine serving the Rest, Reflection, and Exploration Religious Society of he summer is a perfect time for exploration. Many of us will be traveling this Friends month to Kalamazoo, M ichigan, for Friends General Conference's annual T Gathering. Our journeys may take us across many states, with the opporturtity to meet people new to us and to observe new vistas literally opening Editorial before us. The Gathering offers a phenomenal opporturtity for connecting with old Susan Corson-Finneny (Editor-Managn-}, Kenneth Sutton (Smior Editor}, friends and acquaintances and for making new ones. Long ago, I began to appreciate Judith Brown (Poetry Editor) the enormous power of the connections made in the times between workshops, Production worship-sharing groups, or major presentations--over a second cup of tea, or during Barbara Benton (Art Director), Alla Podolsky a spontaneous walk, or chatting quietly in the so& darkness before bedtime. Quaker (Production Assistant} gatherings--whether yearly meetings, retreats, conferences, or the Gathering itself­ Circulation and Advertising Nagendran Gulendran (Markaing and Advertising are tremendous opporturtities for personal and spiritual growth and exploration. Managn-), Nicole Hackel (Circulation Assistant} They are also one of the wonderful ways we build community with each other, Administration become better known to each other, and are blessed for the efforts we make to share Marianne De Lange (Offiu Managn-), our own hearts and gifts. Rachel Messenger (Accountant}, Pamela Nelson In her atticle on "Seeking Spiritual Renewal through Retreats in Nature," Donna (DnMiopmmt Assistant), John Dennison, Ruth Peterson, Robert Succon (Voluntem) Eder traces her personal discovery of the transformational impact of spiritual retreats, Board of Trustees while sharing her calling to assist others to have similarly deep experiences. Her words Lucinda Antrim, Paul Buckley, TylaAnn Burger evoke for me the profound peacefulness I experience when walking or camping in a (TmJSum}, Susan Carnahan (&cording Cln-k), forest. Diane Pasta provides a second quite helpful perspective on the individual Sue Carnell (Assistant Ckrk), Linda Coffin, Marsha Green, Dan Hewitt, Ingrid Holcomb, challenges that Quaker gatherings can pose. In her article, "Gimpy and Grumpy: An Barbara Mays, Caroline Balderston Parry, Introven Copes," she shares with good humor the numerous difficulties encountered Ruth Peterson, Ted Robinson, by the physically challenged while attending gatherings. Yet she wisely points out the David Runkel (Ckrk), Larry D. Spears up side to challenges and by doing so encourages us to find the positive benefits in FRIEN DS j OURNAL (ISSN 0016-1322) was life's daily hurdles. established in 1955 as the successor co The Frimd (1827-1955) and Friends InteUigmcn­ Of course, Quaker gatherings occur throughout the year. It was a great pleasure for (1844-1955). me to attend the midyear meeting oflowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative) this past • FRIENDS j OURNAL is published monthly by Friends spring. I'm o&en struck by the remarkable individuality and yet equally remarkable Publishing Corporation, 1216 Arch Street, 2A, familiarity one encounters in traveling among Friends. As I made the acquaintance of Philadelphia, PA 19107-2835. Telephone (2 15) 563-8629. E-mail Friends][email protected]. Periodicals many warm and welcoming Iowa Friends, it was good to be reminded of how postage paid at Philadelphia, Pa., and additional impottant it is to take time occasionally to re-energize oneself by spending time with mailing offices. other Friends in fellowship and reflection. • Subscriptions: one year $29, two years $54. One great joy of Quaker gatherings is the spiritual growth we have the Add $6 per year for postage to countries outside the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Individual copies opponunity to experience. Worship-sharing groups, workshops, or program $3 each. presentations offer chances to examine our lives and reflect on them against a • Advertising informacion and assistance is available background of the insights and experiences of others. In Iowa this spring, Pendle on request. Appearance of any advertisement does Hill's Chris Ravndal offered us a number of sessions on "Centering Prayer." It was a not imply endorseJTient by FRIENDS j oURNAL great opporturtity to explore a helpful spiritual tool. • Postmaster: send address changes co FRIENDS In this issue, John Calvi's wonderful reflection on "Having a Gift" may get you JouRNAL, 1216 Arch Street, 2A, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2835. started on exploring your own gifts and insights. I'm encouraged by his observation that gi&edness is wide-ranging, carrying a blessing with it, despite the burdens such • Copyright © 1999 by Friends Publishing Corporation. Permission should be received before giftedness also may impose. In his article on "Synchronicity," John Morgan observes reprinting excerpts longer than 200 words. the amazing mystery at the heart of our human experience. His observation that Available on microfilm from Universiry Microfilms International. "eternity touches history as if to wake us up to our true destiny" captures for me those luminous moments when I, too, have glimpsed eternity and the interconnectedness PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER Min. 20% post-consumer of all things. Addressing "That of God in Everyone," Marty Grundy presses us to look ~n at the experience of early Friends-and not to sertle for milder spiritual expenences or awareness. Moving? Let us update your I appreciate the way these Friends have drawn my attention to the deeper aspects subscription and address. of the spir!tuallife, and I hope their offerin~ will inspire your own explorations as you take tune to rest and refresh yourself th1s summer. F~I)IPS JoURNAl>, i#lp Arch St., 21\, -~ .-. • ~· +.. ..t. • ,. Pqila~phia, PA j],~ lQ1:2835 . 0. A /0 • (215)' 563-8629, F~(2 15i' 568-1377 _ · ~ ~ z:::::::::::~..-oc;OCQ::Jl\ E-mail Friends][email protected] i. ' .! - ':> I : ~ . 2 1·::. ; •. I july 1999 FRIENDS joURNAL : J • t . ._J f I I ? July 1999 FRIENDS Volume 45, No. 7 OURNAL Features Departments 6 Synchronicity: Something Friends Experience? 2 Among Friends John C. Morgan An unlikely sequence ofevents opens a door to new insight. 4 Forum 8 Having a Gift 5 Viewpoint John Calvi 22 Young Friends Is it a blessing or a burden? Perhaps it is both. 23 Parents' Comer 10 Gimpy and Grumpy: An Introvert Copes Diane Pasta 24 Reports and Epistles Invisible disabilities can necessitate basic changes in an introvert's survival skills. 26 News 12 Seeking Spiritual Renewal 28 Bulletin Board through Retreats in Nature 30 Books DonnaEder An individual Friend's ·leading draws together others to make a 31 Milestones Quaker retreat space a reality. 37 Classified 14 That of God in Everyone Marty Grundy What is the power and meaning behind this phrase in d4nger of becoming a cliche? Poetry 16 A Legacy of William Penn Theodor Benfey 7 Rye Toast William Penn can speak to tod4y's skeptical seeker. Rachel Wynne 18 Old Bello and the Calico Crab Now Is Now! Rebecca Osborn Josephine W. Johns This is a delightfo.l allegory written for children. 13 Traveler's Pause 20 Quaker Crostic Steven Elkinton Osborn Cresson Cover photo by Barbara Benton FRIENDS JoURNAL july 1999 Forum Inclusion will help community support it. On the personal asylum and jobs in France. We were in level, we must try to shed some of our responsible for an international youth group. resisting hate groups desire to see our children succeed at the We met innumerable people at trains and expense of others and become aware of how tried to facilitate whatever good works they Joining the many folks, both we are a part of excluding certain children were involved in. When we were asked compassionate and distressed by the tragedy ourselves. exactly what we did, my usual response was: at Columbine High School, I seek We need to know who hate groups are "We were available." explanations and solutions. According to the and where they are. We need to try to find Years later, we were privileged to latest report sent out by the Southern out when, where, and how they reach out to participate in the work of the Quaker Poverty Law Center, hate groups are our children and young adults. Like incest, it United Nations Office in Geneva, growing by leaps and bounds, particularly in can only continue in the dark. And we need Switzerland. Quaker House in Geneva, like Washington State and Oregon. The Denver to learn about their members, too--what are its counterpart in New York, offers area has about seven such groups. In Ohio, they fmding to be satisfying- what needs do diplomats of all nations a neutral place there is a greater density of at least twenty they have that our communities do not where they can meet with their colleagues such groups. The article states that these fulfill? and discuss informally the issues they are groups are trying to reach youngsters who Laura WolfTitus dealing with in public sessions. These are intelligent and alienated, perhaps Worthington, Ohio individual talks provide understanding thwarted in their wishes to feel sought after impossible to achieve in plenary meetings. by peers and respected by those in authority. They can also learn from Quaker experience There is little to be gained by establishing Federal law a needed in issues such as disarmament, human rights, blame for what the young men in Colorado refugees, the search for a more equitable did, except to free us from responsibility­ response to hate crimes? distribution of the world's resources, etc. for those of us who are not their parents, While I share the outrage of someone During my 12 years of watching this good ministers, teachers, or friends, it is easy to being targeted because of sexual orientation, work, I decided a better answer to why we point the inquisitional finger.