The Right Place, The Right Time

by Barbara Anne Radtke

I am sure you have heard someone say, maybe at the end of a personal narrative, “I was in the right place at the right time.” In fact, you probably have said it yourself.  I have.

This past weekend, Boston seemed to be the right place at the right time.  Depending on whether or not you were sitting in traffic, you might have called it a coincidence or a calamity of the calendar.  This particular weekend was Western Easter, Orthodox Easter, part of Passover, the 129th running of the Boston Marathon, and the beginning of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. The anniversary included: The Lantern Service in Old North Church where the lamps were hung (one if by land, two if by sea – actually “the sea” was the Charles River); the midnight rides of Revere, Dawson, and Prescott; the battle at dawn on Lexington Green; and the shot in Concord that was heard round the world. In addition, there was a home Red Sox game and the Celtics began the playoffs – here!  We had an abundance of visitors gracing our streets to take in the festivity of their choice. It seemed the world had converged on the greater Boston area.

It’s an auspicious time for these events.  The geopolitical world is nervous; Wall Street is volatile; Main St doesn’t know how to plan with the tariff tensions; retirees wonder if, after all their preparation, we need to go back to the drawing board. There was a message in this Boston weekend for a world weary with worry and/or unanswered questions.  As both Mayor Michelle Wu and Dr. Heather Cox Richardson reminded listeners in their remarks during service at Old North, we view these anniversaries knowing the outcome.  The colonists did not know what would result when they protested the Stamp Act, tossed the tea, or skirmished at Lexington and Concord. The Sons of Liberty, when planning their stand against tyranny, only had a seat in a pub, a moral compass, and the courage to take the next step.

So, here I am in the right place at the right time to ponder what it all means:

As a student of Scripture, Easter tells me that decline and even death are not the end of the story.

As a student of history, the Revolutionary War tells me that, after the success of the midnight ride and the battles in Lexington and Concord, there were difficult days ahead. Yhose who envisioned a new view of liberty, however, persisted.

As a fan of the Marathon, I know the course of the race has smooth going, heartbreaking hills, and people cheering all the way. The secret is knowing how to pace oneself. If our times are like this race, we have to do the same. Like the colonists who were Patriots, the runners have charted a course that may have many unknowns; but they continue -- one foot after the other -- on a path others have trod before them.

As a person who follows local sports, I know those rebelling colonists “played on a team” that only knew it was the beginning of the season. They had no idea if they would be in the playoffs – they had no idea there would be playoffs!  In short, whether they were ready or not to face what was before them, they had a sense they were in the right place at the right time for a grand experiment worth fighting for.

It makes me wonder: When history looks back on 2025, will there be a story of the right place, right time? If so, what will it be?

Response by Kathy Hendricks

What a wonderful confluence of events that took place in Boston this past weekend. You have encapsulated the hope that lies in the marathon – both that of a race through the Boston streets and the long fight for independence. As we find ourselves in a time of anxiety over the possible demise of our democracy, the reminder of unknown outcomes from history is helpful. Along with you, Barbara, I am heartened by the themes of life emerging from death that are central to Easter’s celebration. In today’s reflection from the Center for Action and Contemplation, Father Richard Rohr calls resurrection the ”pattern of everything.” Nothing goes away completely but “changes form, meaning, or direction.”

Awakening on Monday to the news of the death of Pope Francis also signals a change that could be seen as both sad and yet hopeful. Although his health was clearly in decline, he lived long enough to give a final Easter message of hope and a plea for peace.

Barbara’s question at the end of her post is worth pondering. How, dear reader, do you envision the way in which 2025 might be looked upon as the right place and time? We would love to hear your thoughts on this.