Thursday, June 2, 2016

In the twinkling of an eye and other observations..




We decided to splurge yesterday, so we went to Red Lobster for brunch. It was superb as usual, as we were coming home a Fire brigade station wagon came roaring by us. (we had pulled over of course) 
"Somewhere there's a really  bad accident." I remarked as he turned the corner,  and didn't think any more about it. That in itself was unusual, I usually pray for the people involved instantly.
We drove on and started to pull into our complex, and there the accident was. A block away from where we lived. Denise noticed it first, then I saw it next and tried to make it go away. 
But of course I couldn't. The car belong to neighbors that had become inportant to us, and especially Natasha. Her friend.
Confusion set in, Denise ran down t the accident to see if she could help in anyway, I tried to track down the little girl to make sure she was safe: one neighbor had the baby and the another neighbor had Tasha's Friend.
Everyone was out trying to help, to find out if everyone was all right. 
It opened my eyes to another facet of our neighborhood. We live in our apartments, but if you need us...we are there all of us. Even those whom we did  not know. Natasha's friend saw her, jumped out of the neighbors car and they hugged and hung onto each other for dear life. 
Friends. They bicker like siblings and  love supersedes all.






A few days ago a 4 year old wandered into a Gorilla enclosure.The decision was made to kill the Gorilla,  the hatred and backlash  against the mother stunned me. She didn't make the decision to shoot the animal, the zoo staff did. Why is the anger turned on her?

When we moved to Virginia from California, we stopped at a gas station in Arizona. It was a long hot trip, Wally and I climbed back in the car trying to decided how far we were going to go this this day. About a block from the station, Eric piped up with: "where are the girls?"
Wally and I looked at each other, he whipped the car around and headed back. Both girls were sitting on the sidewalk curb outside the restroom. they knew we would be back for them, they weren't worried. Denise still manages to hit me with this every so often, like once a week.

And just to make sure I come clean on everything.....I used to teach at the same school my kids attended.
A lot of days, they stayed to play while I finished up my paperwork...One day I hoped in my car, went home and immediately recieved a call from the school. Apparently Eric had wondered into the office, after his last friend went home and announced to the secretary, "He was ready to go home now." Would she  tell his mom? So I headed back, knowing he was going to be angry...but he only said. I knew you'd come back. No big deal.

Sigh of relief, I don't hear about this as often, but I hear about it. yes. 



We aren't perfect parents. None of us are. We make mistakes. Kids are fast. Our minds are elsewhere. anyone that thinks it cannot happen to them, well by the grace of God......

The thing is this. We sit and second guess, or Monday morning quarter back everything and everyone. 
We weren't there. It would almost seem We should offer grace.
In the twinkling of an eye, your life changes.
My neighbors thought everything was coming together in their lives, and on a Sunday afternoon it collapsed. Without warning. Through no fault of theirs.

I am sure the mother of the little boy took him to the zoo as a treat, she turned her back for a minute, and he's gone. What was supposed to be a fun afternoon in a second, has proven to change her life in a most horrible way. things will never be the same for her again.



You think you own whatever land you land on
The earth is just a dead thing you can claim
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name
You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You'll learn things you never knew, you never knew

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon

Or let the eagle tell you where he's been?
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?

How high does the sycamore grow
If you cut it down then you'll never know
And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
For whether we are white or copper skinned
We need to sing with all the voices of the mountain
We need to paint with all the colors of the wind

You can own the earth and still
All you own is earth until
You can paint with all the colors of the wind

Colors of the wind..Ashanti


Next time something happens, try stepping into the persons shoes, instead of on their feet.
And if you are a perfect parent I apologize. I'm not. To me, Only God sits that high.






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