RIP Bishop Barbara Harris

In the midst of all of my pandemic-themed wanderings on the Internet, I took note of the death of Bishop Barbara Harris, the first woman to be ordained a bishop in the Episcopal Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion.  She was African-American, another notable boundary broken, as she was the first African-American woman made bishop.

This morning, as I was reading about her, I was struck by this fact:  she was ordained as a priest when she was 50 years old, and ten years later, she was elevated to the status of bishop.  I suspect that many of the first ordained women were older, but I don't know for sure.  Now I'd like to know.

As I grow older, these kinds of stories are important to me.  I am 54, and there are days when I feel like my best days are behind me.  I know that fact is not true, but we do live in a culture that worships youth, beauty, and wealth.  I need stories that tell us that we can make significant life shifts no matter what our age, and that we may go to places that will amaze us.

Thank you Barbara Harris, and all the other boundary breakers.  Thank you for showing us how much a life can contain.  Thank you for showing us the foolishness in societal restrictions.  Thank you for widening the circle of inclusivity.