...it is where we seem to join a cruise for our lives...with those we love...our friends, family...and..
.....even those we might have loved...we are all together...it is a place of reunions...of belonging...
..... it is a place outside of time as we know it...but very real...it is here and now, and tomorrow..
...... it knows no person who is not ultimately welcome...it just takes love...
.......there are those on board who take care of us...those who test but love us...those who..
........pick us up at airports...who bake us apple pies....who stay up all night...
.........with laughs and cries....
.......it is our ultimate home...yet, we are embarking always on that cruise...that great ship....with love
I saw something today. These stories just write themselves...I am just a messenger...
A place where there are homeless families. Homeless children. Many of us do not know this.
A little boy. He said his name was Jeffrey, and that he is six years old.
He was hugging a younger girl, he said her name was Jennifer. He said he loved her. Let me explain....
She is apparently deaf from birth, cannot hear anything. I asked Jeffrey how he communicates with her?
...He proudly showed me with his right hand, making the sign of a dog..."with my hands", he said.
Jeffrey was sitting behind Jennifer and hugging her just like a big husband would hug his wife from behind.
It was a huge hug of the ages. Protecting her. Taking care of her...
I said, "Jeffrey, what did you say?" He said, "I love her. She needs me to help her...she can't hear, you know...." He looked at me like we were old friends...like...you know!
I should have known. Six year olds can join with us all in love for each other...who ever said they cannot feel it like we do as "big people"! We are all on the Ship of Friends...all who love each other....and take care and protect each other...
Imagine, just imagine....Jeffrey, sitting there with his hair all scruffed up, and a big smile, and a proud big brother tone...he just told me..."I love her"...and he will protect young Jennifer, four years old, who also knows...what love is....
We all know each other...on the Ship of Friends...it is ageless...we are all children!
I find it curious that this is the first decade transition in my memory, (I recall clearly the 1980's to 90's, 90's to 2000) in which so few are projecting trends I have my thoughts on that. Perhaps there is so little discussion as time and change have accelerated to the point that a decade is no longer a gauge of a period of time that binds lifestyle, culture, social change etc. It begs the question as well whether generations will next to morph into less defined time periods. Your post points to a reaction I think to this very trend, what is concrete, less likely to change and more stable and reliable is family and truly deep friendships. In this next decade I see deeper, more meaningful and nostalgic relationships making a comeback. I once read a quote on the door of an Irish bookstore, "love is like a long conversation that seems too short." Our today and tomorrow must and will slow down, centered on a foundation of love for family and friend alike.
ReplyDelete