It may seem odd to seek God in places other than a secluded
monastery, a church or with those who participate in an organized church. All
of these are important, and I am grateful for them in my life. What if,
however, God was to be found, not just in orthodoxy and sameness but rather in the
places where we come together with different stories or with different parts of
the same story and share life as brothers and sisters with a quest for
wholeness? Just maybe in the process God
would be found and together we will be made whole.
William
Blake described this way of finding God in one another. “I
sought my soul, but my soul I could not see. I sought my God, but my God eluded
me. I sought my brother, and I found all three.”
The oneing project is, in many ways a spiritual journey. In
my own quest for a holy life I am finding wholeness can be found as we share
life with one another.
The picture above reflects how we come together around a
common table and share life. You should also note a reflection of Jesus at that
table of oneness.
I imagine these interviews as a way for us to come around a
table. I am grateful for the interviews thus far with Gary, Bruce, Kirk and
Janel. Today I have invited Robin to
join us at the table as we share life.
Before I interview new friends I try to find out as much as I
can about them. A Google search does not
always give the full or accurate picture of a person. When I did a search for Robin Greathouse for example, I
saw a mugshot of him from the Southeast Correctional Facility in Ozark County.
The article recounted the culmination
of the worst days of Robin’s life including a capital murder charge at 17 years
old[i].
According to the article, 11 of the 12 jurors
voted for the death penalty. The one juror who voted against it was an
alternate juror. The headline for the article states “Sentenced to life in
prison 40 years ago, Greathouse now resentenced to 50 years”. Robin’s
age at the time of the crime which was not considered in 1979 was a primary
factor in the change of sentence. Robin
is currently a front line coach at the Shelter KC.
An article in the Shelter KC
publication(ii) shares the story that led up to this sentencing. The first 12 years of Robin’s life involved
being abandoned by his mother and father and abuse by his alcoholic uncle. By
his teens he fell into deep drug addiction, which led to a tragedy that would
take away much of his life. In a drugged state, Robin shot and killed a friend who was
trying to take his car keys.
The worst day for Robin, however, was not the last word for
his life. My conversation with Robin enriched my own life and I am grateful for
a new friend.
I met Robin at the KC Shelter on a sunny and warm November afternoon. Just off of a major highway and strategically located in an industrial part of downtown Kansas City, the shelter is a place of hospitality and safety for people who need a place off of the streets. I expected to see the face that I saw in the mug photo when I met Robin. Instead I was greeted by a peaceful and relaxed version of Robin. In many ways it was hard to imagine that he had spent the last 40 years of his life in prison with seemingly no hope of ever leaving.
Early in our conversation Robin surprised me by stating "I have so much to be grateful for". He stated, "one of the greatest joys that I have is simply to see fresh snow in the morning, or to be walking down the street and see the stop signs and traffic, then realize that I am free".
When asked about the most challenging time in his life, Robin stated it was just after he was released from prison. This, he said, was more difficult than any of the earlier things he had gone through. "I was on the street and had no idea what to do". At one point Robin was standing on a bridge over a major highway and thought to himself "I don't know if anyone would even care if I jumped off and took my life". Again, the worst day for Robin was not the last word for his life. Somehow, he said, there was a deep awareness that God cared about him. Robin found his way to Shelter KC where he found a host of people who cared deeply for him. They have become his lifeline.
Most recently Robin is thinking forward to a new life of gratitude and peace. Without doubt Robin has great words of wisdom for youth who are in a similar place in life as he was at seventeen.
Robin represents many others who are at a reset point in their lives. I am honored that Robin gifted me with the opportunity to hear more of his story.
The StoryCorps interview has a poor quality of sound (my fault) but can be found at: https://archive.storycorps.org/communities/oneing/
Image: Center panel of triptych, Vincent de Paul with the poor at circular table of the Lord, face shown on table; dog at lower left;
original in Vincentian church, chapel of Mercy, Graz, http://stvincentimages.cdm.depaul.edu/Pictures/2.%20Paintings/Austria,%20Graz,%20Vincent%20de%20Paul%20with%20poor%20at%20table.jpg
