For those that know me well, rain and nasty weather often makes me think of my childhood. It makes me want to find a window seat and think about years past and what they meant to me. It makes me think of falling asleep in our farm house to jazz as a little boy. It makes me think of romping in my rain boots with childhood friends. It makes me think of people and places gone from this world, or at least from me.
This particular rainy day makes me think back to Christmas break. I woke with the dawn , poured a cup of coffee and was out the door. I was heading back to school for second semester and had a weekend or a few days to catch up with some old friends. As we drove we laughed and talked of times past. We listened to folk and country and got lost in the vast farmland that laid before us. As we sat down for lunch at local spot I grew up going to with my grandaddy . I asked the question " why don't people just go for a drive anymore?" We all sat in silence not knowing what to say. I honestly don't remember if we ever answered that question.
As the day dragged on I showed my friends the places and memories of my past. I drove them down Reid Road , and down past Pinetuck. I took them down old 901 and finally stopped at Landsford canal. The canal was used in the old days to help big boats carrying freight down river to different branches. It is a rundown and somewhat beautiful relic of early american engineering. All was quiet as we walked along the river. All you could hear or see was the rushing river a fish jumping from time to time. You could see an occasional Heron ruling over his river bank. As we walked down the path leading to who knows where I knew this time we had was short. I fell back to take a picture at one point and looked ahead to see where my friends had gone. Ahead of me they walked laughing and joking about so and so and who knows what. Moments like that are powerful and meaningful. It puts you in the spectator seat of your life and lets you really know what's important.
As I looked down at my watch I realized the time and hurried back to the car and on home . After a shower and a short drive I found my self side by side with one of my best friends (my brother) and my father and his. We walked up the stairs and through the door of the old southern home. The house was dimly lit and full of black clothed individuals. Music played softly and voices murmured quietly. This was a true southern visitation. As I rounded the corner my heart ran cold. A good friend of ours grandson had passed from cancer and had finally been laid to rest in the arms of our heavenly father. Here I was absent-mindedly running around the countryside all day , while others were mourning a boy who never got to do anything like that . But...he was loved , the house was packed with grieving friends and family. His church was there, his friends were there. The heart and life of a child often grabs a hold of our hearts and brings us off our stupid adult pedestals. The wonder of a child makes us see the world through a different lens. Hence the phrase " out of the mouth of babes".
How often do we as people leave our childlike wonder at the wayside? How often do we try to grow-up too fast? As a fellow person on this earth and brother in Christ I urge you to not live your life hurried. I am guilty of this. I get caught up in the day to day and forget what's important. Yes we are called and told at a young age to always be looking forward. But when we are constantly looking forward we never look backwards. We never cherish the memories of our youth. When bad things happen in our lives we often feel that it is someones fault. We don't know how to handle it. Grieving is good and necessary , but smile cause it happened. Smile because that person or place impacted you.
This weather makes me think of that day I spent with my friends and makes me beg the question. "Why don't people just go for a drive anymore?". So you have a few options. Next time you are wasting away in front of Netflix ( I am guilty of this) , get up and go do something. It can be as simple as going for a drive.
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