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Dijon Mustard
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At lunch today, Bill remarked while he was making a sandwich: "We should think about planning to use this jar of Dijon mustard which expires in April 2012. But then, I don't know what happens to Dijon mustard when it expires."
Expiration dates never rattled me before. I guess I never did really give it a thought, what happens when it expires. 
Last weekend we attended the graduation of our grandson, Weston, from high school. What an exciting, proud and happy moment! You might say that the expiration date of the first third of a person's life is the date of that milestone event, high school graduation. It is evident from the published list of scholarships that some of the students know with certainty what will happen after graduation: college, work, military service. Others are taking more time to consider the options.
As we visit our stepmother Bernette in a rehab center, it's clear to see that her options are few. At 92, she says she wants to go home. I would imagine, from what she talks about, that she frequently contemplates the expiration date on the third third of her life.
What happens in-between, in the middle third? As Spiritual Director, I meet with many people who seek to live according to God's plan, as if the expiration date is today. Others struggle; that's human nature. The biggest impasse, for some, is the inability to let go of a relationship, a memory, a wound, or a status that is no longer "life-giving" - to throw away the mustard jar, so to speak. We may not know what happens to Dijon mustard when it expires, but the expiration date is there for a purpose. It's a warning that the expiration date is near - or past.
- Jan
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Unexpired Greatness - by Bill
Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs is 37 years old, an age by which many professional athletes have long since retired. Last month Tim Duncan was named to the All-NBA First Team, recognizing the five best players in the league for the 2012-2013 season.
Just last year, sportswriters were saying that Duncan's time was past, that he was quickly approaching the expiration date on his Hall-of-Fame career. This week, Duncan and the Spurs beat the Miami Heat in the first game of the NBA Finals. Duncan scored 20 points, claimed 14 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots. Add those numbers together, and you get Duncan's age: 37.
Somewhere out there, I am sure, is a sports-statistics nerd who could tell you just how rare it is for a player over the age of 35 to match their age, in an NBA finals game, in combined points, rebounds, and blocks. We in San Antonio don't really care. We simply know we have been privileged to watch greatness throughout Duncan's sixteen-year career.
Understated greatness, of course. Duncan is far from the flashiest player in the league. In fact, Duncan and the Spurs have been called "boring" many times. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have been the flashy, albeit temperamental, stars of the league for years. Yet there is an argument to be made that the low-key Duncan is a better player than either of them.
Too old. Too slow. People have tried to stick those labels on Tim Duncan for years. Duncan has refused to accept those labels. Instead of basking in past success, Duncan has worked hard to improve his game, to mentor his younger teammates, and to pursue his fifth NBA championship - one that is now only 3 wins away!
So remember Tim Duncan - and don't let anyone label you as anything less than you are.
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