(A reminder of a reflection from 2018 that beauty surrounds us, as does grace, forgiveness, resilience, dignity, and the love of God. We need to keep our eyes and hearts open.)
So glad I made it for my morning walk today. Such a beautiful morning, with familiar faces and places, and there was a spring in my step because finally I was back in the neighbourhood!
I saw the little boy off to Kinder with his helper, the same one I always see, only this time he wasn't shouting out his numbers like he usually does. He was unusually quiet. Must have been a long week. Poor chap. Still, he was doggedly walking ahead to school, and I wanted to tell him to stay resolute because Kinder is one of the most carefree times of your life, young man!
I saw the little old lady who always looks ahead or down when she walks past, as if she was afraid that if we made contact with our eyes her world might fall apart. There's a story there. I wonder what it is. I see dignity, a touch of pride, an aloofness and boundaries. All very useful, and necessary. Her dignity impressed me the most. It isn't prideful, it's self respecting. I like that, and the distinction.
I saw the couple that lives on my fav street, walking together for the first time. Usually their young kids vanish in a bus and then Dad walks to the train station, presumably. Today Mum walked along too. They caught me taking photos of trees and myself, and so we laughed and chatted about how beautiful the trees were on their street, and how there was an "other worldly" feeling with the way the sunlight slanted through. They agreed, I wished them a lovely day, and off they trumped, a British couple on their morning commute.
I felt like I might have been in England. What, no flask of tea and no scone all clotty with cream, jammed into a pocket for a mid walk snack at the playground? Ah well, turn round and go home then.
And what awaited me when I got home? I saw the old lady next door with whom I have had a couple of altercations over my plants shedding leaves onto her cement floor. Somehow, she had heard that I had been in hospital, and she expressed her concern, wished me well, apologised for the past, and made amends. I had never encountered this version of her before, and she swept me off my feet by her kindness. Any ill will I had ever harboured against her melted away. I knew what it cost her to apologise. I reciprocated in kind, apologised too, hugged her, found tears welling up in my eyes, and thanked her for her concern. It was a moment of grace that melted my heart.
All I did was leave home for 30 mins and already I have found resilience, dignity, beauty, and grace. Surely the love of God Himself surrounds us with many miraculous things that we will see and feel and know, if we are open to them. So blessed. Have an awesome weekend, dear friends, God is close.
Thanks for reading,
Pav
