Awards and Recognition

I received two awards in the mail today.  The first was a key ring from Weight Watcher given to me because I had lost five pounds.  I feel a bit guilty about all this since I have gained back two of the five pounds I lost.  Instead of sending it back, I will keep it in a drawer until I lose those two pounds again.  The second came from Emory University telling me on thick white parchment paper suitable for framing that I had been inducted into The Society of Corpus Cordis Aureum.  Since I spent two years in Mrs. Thomas' high school Latin class, I remembered that "corpus" had something to do with the body, but after that I was lost.  It seems that this induction is granted to those who graduated fifty years or more from Emory University which I managed to do with my Master of Divinity Degree.    

So, I received one award that I really have not earned and another for staying alive for fifty years which has the feeling of a life participation award.  Of course, all of us like to be recognized.  We take what we can get.  I used to have a few certificates of recognition hanging on my office wall, but I retired them when I retired.  They are stored with books I no longer have room to shelve.  While they are nice to receive, it is always good to keep them in perspective.    

The induction into The Society of Corpus Cordis Aureum made me remember the many colleagues and friends who were not blessed with the three score and ten years plus a few that I have counted.  Too many left too early.  I have been blessed with years beyond theirs and I often wonder why I am here and they are gone.  But, like everyone I hang onto every day with gratitude.  One day I hope for a final award which will come not with white parchment paper and one I will certainly not deserve, but one that will be given with the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant,.."  (Matthew 25:21).  At the end of the journey, it will be more than enough and such a grace filled blessing.