Elegy
We lost a good man this morning.
I thought I had finished with my tears after General Convention’s B033. I was moving on, thanks in very large measure to my involvement with The Episcopal Majority. It was enabling me to get past the hurt and anger I had felt. Working with that amazingly smart, passionate, and loving group has helped me begin to heal. Laboring alongside others who love this church of ours has helped me again to focus on the positive things that are happening and can happen in our church. I believe that was also true for my friend ToeWalker, a companion in that labor.
But we lost him this morning.
The recent words of the Archbishop of Canterbury in this interview included a comment that gay and lesbians may be “welcomed,” but not necessarily “included.” And that finally did it for ToeWalker. Perhaps those words were just the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back.” ToeWalker wrote in his blog yesterday, “I am sick to death of seeing ‘homosexual’ and ‘lifestyle’ and ‘abomination everywhere I turn.” No matter how brave and strong, we all have our limits – that moment when all the name-calling and the disdain and the discounting of our Christian faithfulness just get to be too much.
This morning, it cost us ToeWalker. The Episcopal Church lost him, and we are impoverished therein. The blogosphere lost a marvelous, quirky website that never ceased to amuse and inspire me. The Episcopal Majority lost the best TechnoGuru we could have wished for. And – since my e-mails aren’t being answered – it also appears I have lost a very, very dear friend.
So I’ll continue crying a while. Then I'll work all the harder to make this church a place of love and inclusion and redemption that will draw ToeWalker back.
I thought I had finished with my tears after General Convention’s B033. I was moving on, thanks in very large measure to my involvement with The Episcopal Majority. It was enabling me to get past the hurt and anger I had felt. Working with that amazingly smart, passionate, and loving group has helped me begin to heal. Laboring alongside others who love this church of ours has helped me again to focus on the positive things that are happening and can happen in our church. I believe that was also true for my friend ToeWalker, a companion in that labor.
But we lost him this morning.
The recent words of the Archbishop of Canterbury in this interview included a comment that gay and lesbians may be “welcomed,” but not necessarily “included.” And that finally did it for ToeWalker. Perhaps those words were just the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back.” ToeWalker wrote in his blog yesterday, “I am sick to death of seeing ‘homosexual’ and ‘lifestyle’ and ‘abomination everywhere I turn.” No matter how brave and strong, we all have our limits – that moment when all the name-calling and the disdain and the discounting of our Christian faithfulness just get to be too much.
This morning, it cost us ToeWalker. The Episcopal Church lost him, and we are impoverished therein. The blogosphere lost a marvelous, quirky website that never ceased to amuse and inspire me. The Episcopal Majority lost the best TechnoGuru we could have wished for. And – since my e-mails aren’t being answered – it also appears I have lost a very, very dear friend.
So I’ll continue crying a while. Then I'll work all the harder to make this church a place of love and inclusion and redemption that will draw ToeWalker back.
posted by Lisa Fox at 8/22/2006 05:34:00 PM
8 Comments:
I will hope and pray, perhaps, that he is just taking a much needed break from what can be the madness that is spiritual violence practiced by so many religions against GLBT people. I hope that he is simply spending his time being refreshed by God's love. And I hope he will answer your e-mails. I've been to his blog (following a comment or two) and very much enjoyed it. If he doesn't return, I wish all God's blessings and good wishes for him.
Lisa, I've sent you 4 emails throughout the day today. Aren't you able to get them?
ToeWalker lives? Can it be?
If you are really ToeWalker: No, I got no e-mails today.
January736, it's kind of you to ask. That guy really did work his way into many of our hearts in a very short time, didn't he?
Good news: He and I have been in touch, and he's better. "Better" as in not sounding so "in despair" as he did a week ago.
Of course, the sad news is, his blog is still gone. And we're all missing his "voice" in the more "public" arena.
I think he's doing what he needs to do right now. Taking care of ourselves is important at times like this. It sounds like you know that all too well, too.
Owing to the everpresent and immeasurable love and encouragement from Lisa and the blessed souls in the Episcopal Majority, Toewalker is back.
(be afraid)
(or not)
:-)
{{{Lisa}}}
And I could not be happier!
Welcome back, ToeWalker. You have been missed!!
Thanks so much, january (and all).
I have the sneaking suspicion those who are in vocal opposition to The Episcopal Majority are going to get very tired of me very, very soon.
Stay tuned for details.
Thanks for the question, FluteGirl. I have been seriously remiss on my own blog. But it's because TW & I are working on some significant developments that will soon be unveiled at The Episcopal Majority. We both have day-jobs. TEM is consuming all the other hours of my life.
Fortunately, the AAC/ACN cabal cannot lay a glove on us! But I do appreciate your offer!
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