Surrender
“The boat I travel in is called Surrender. My two oars are instant forgiveness and gratitude—complete gratitude for the gift of life. I am thankful for the experience of this life, for the opportunity to dance. I get angry, I get mad, but as soon as I remind myself to put my oars in the water, I forgive.”—Balbir Matbur, inwardoutward.org, Daily Quote, October 19, 2016. Heron Dance interview (Issue 11).
Balbir Matbur as president of Trees for Life for 30 years planted 200 million morning trees in developing countries. I thank the daily words from Inward Outward from the Church of the Saviour in Washington for introducing him to me. Matbur’s exceptional life is a story of constant surrender: immigrating to Wichita from India with no family contacts, mowing lawns, becoming world known in business, developing a mysterious illness, leaving his business career, and starting an international nonprofit to plant trees in developing countries. The morning trees survive in dry conditions, its leaves are nutritious in vitamins A and C and calcium, and its seeds are used to purify water.
Matbur’s words are indeed words of peace that I hear in so many disciplines across all religious barriers. When I can forgive, when I am filled with gratitude, I stay out of trouble and find peace. What an image. We are in a boat called surrender and our two oars are gratitude and forgiveness that keep that boat moving on course. I can imagine rowing on a river, not too big of a river and not too big of a boat. I will need some other passengers with me who can take over the oars when I become too tired, who will read to me and let me rest or just allow me to soak in the scenery.
Rick Plumee, The Wichita Eagle, May 10, 2014.
Joanna joannaseibert.com