Sunday Beachlife
October 3, 2010 By 1 Comment
It was a perfect early autumn Sunday. We gathered here, where all are welcome; come as you are, for Jesus sat and dined with the least of us. This is an intimate place, where you can experience Him and the glory of The Eucharist, before you go on to whatever the rest of your day has in store for you.This is where I went:
I traveled this familiar pathway, a walk that never fails to ignite anticipation.
For at the end of this walkway, known as my beach, or, formally, the 20th Street Beach Access in Atlantic Beach, I set up my chair, books or magazines, dig my toes into this
and just relax, with this:
After a highly satisfying couple of hours, it was time to leave:
I’m truly grateful that this is where I get to be; that I can feel the sea breeze and hear the waves every time I go outside to do my activities of daily living.
I love being able to share my beachlife with you. I’m also truly grateful that so many of you seem to enjoy stopping by. Thank you for that; your comments mean more than you know.
The Autumn Moon
October 2, 2010 By 4 Comments
She is the mother of a Chinese child.
As such, she is supposed to have a working knowledge of the festivals and holidays important to the Chinese people. As her parent, she wants to raise her daughter with at least a whispering of understanding of these festivals and holidays so that when she’s grown she can go forth with some grasp of her original culture.
She doesn’t try to be a Chinese mother. Her daughter already has one of those. Two, in fact. She is the third in her daughter’s line of mothers. A trilogy of mothers for her little one, to whom this matters, very much.
But as her daughter’s surviving mother, it’s her duty to familiarize her with the Chinese holidays and festivals and ensure that she sees other families like hers; and mixes in a world that isn’t dominantly Caucasian.
This mother does the best that she can. She doesn’t attend all the events and parties that the wonderful parents’ group sponsors. She misses out on the opportunity to know these other women; women who’ve found friendship among themselves, and deep bonds that surpass the initial reason that brought them together: the adoption of their children.
Last weekend this group gathered on the beach to celebrate the Chinese Autumn Moon Festival. This mother decided to go. How could she not attend a party on the beach, just up the beach from her very own, after all?
This mother had a glorious few hours on the beach, chatting it up with people who could be her good friends, if only she’d get a bit more involved in the goings-on. Her daughters – middle child brought along begrudgingly, with a school friend – had a blast; three smiling, sandy children were tucked safely into this mother’s soccer-mom-style minivan after the party was over … and then this mother turned and saw it: the autumn moon.
She gasped. Fumbled for her camera and took this snap. Whether or not it is the authentic Autumn Moon, it will suffice, for it is ours.
