Natural Rhythm
As I was walking home from work, I noticed a family in front of me consisting of Dad, Mom, possible new female undergrad ("prospective" as referred to in passing), and younger early adolescent sister. I'm unsure what initially drew my attention, but as I watched them I noticed several little subtleties.
Observations: I first noticed that Mom and little sis have the same hitch in their get-up, more emphasis on the left leg when walking. They were both short in stature, curvy (but not large) and the majority of the time they walked just a bit behind Dad and prospective. Prospective is taller and slender like Dad. They walked with long easy steps and their heads straight forward the majority of the time. The whole family participated in a discussion about Wash U, but it was filled with side conversation between Mom & lil sis and prospective with Dad.
I was starting to think about the homework I had to get done this weekend when I saw Dad drop back a bit and grab Mom's hand. Lil sis then moved up in the ranks and began talking with prospective. It was so natural. Obviously, this is normal behavior for them, but I so rarely witness anything like it that I couldn't help but pay attention.
They held hands for much longer than I anticipated, and they weren't being mushy, simply walking and talking. When they did separate, it was so fluent and gentle that hardly a second passed before I noticed Dad and prospective were holding hands. The sight of this was really surprising to me.I guess I hold hands with my dad every now and then, but it never feels as innate as they made it look.
As I weighed this thought, I noticed that Mom & lil sis were walking in rhythm. At first, Left/right, Right/left...Then all of a sudden Left/left, Right/right. This same stepping rhythm was shared between prospective and Dad except the opposite foot led. After a minute or so, they were all four leading with the same foot. The rhythm was so natural that I almost didn't detect it.
For some reason this made me smile and a warmth overtook me. The feeling was strange and completely unexpected. Turning away from the family and toward my apartment, I contemplated the warmth and what it meant. Was I just feeling maternal today or something - thats kind of out of character. No, it was more of an admiration for them and a realization of how close people can be to one another.
I don't know anything about that family, but I can tell they love and support each other. I feel privileged to have watched their interactions for even a short time. I think, buried under past disappointments, I have found a longing inside myself of some day being part of what I witnessed.
*God always speaks to me through the most unexpected means. I love it. Many of you know that I didn't have a relationship with Christ until I was twenty; I cannot express how different the world looks to me now. I draw the most wonderful sense of joy and wisdom from the smallest things. Everything is bigger when God shows it to you.
Observations: I first noticed that Mom and little sis have the same hitch in their get-up, more emphasis on the left leg when walking. They were both short in stature, curvy (but not large) and the majority of the time they walked just a bit behind Dad and prospective. Prospective is taller and slender like Dad. They walked with long easy steps and their heads straight forward the majority of the time. The whole family participated in a discussion about Wash U, but it was filled with side conversation between Mom & lil sis and prospective with Dad.
I was starting to think about the homework I had to get done this weekend when I saw Dad drop back a bit and grab Mom's hand. Lil sis then moved up in the ranks and began talking with prospective. It was so natural. Obviously, this is normal behavior for them, but I so rarely witness anything like it that I couldn't help but pay attention.
They held hands for much longer than I anticipated, and they weren't being mushy, simply walking and talking. When they did separate, it was so fluent and gentle that hardly a second passed before I noticed Dad and prospective were holding hands. The sight of this was really surprising to me.I guess I hold hands with my dad every now and then, but it never feels as innate as they made it look.
As I weighed this thought, I noticed that Mom & lil sis were walking in rhythm. At first, Left/right, Right/left...Then all of a sudden Left/left, Right/right. This same stepping rhythm was shared between prospective and Dad except the opposite foot led. After a minute or so, they were all four leading with the same foot. The rhythm was so natural that I almost didn't detect it.
For some reason this made me smile and a warmth overtook me. The feeling was strange and completely unexpected. Turning away from the family and toward my apartment, I contemplated the warmth and what it meant. Was I just feeling maternal today or something - thats kind of out of character. No, it was more of an admiration for them and a realization of how close people can be to one another.
I don't know anything about that family, but I can tell they love and support each other. I feel privileged to have watched their interactions for even a short time. I think, buried under past disappointments, I have found a longing inside myself of some day being part of what I witnessed.
*God always speaks to me through the most unexpected means. I love it. Many of you know that I didn't have a relationship with Christ until I was twenty; I cannot express how different the world looks to me now. I draw the most wonderful sense of joy and wisdom from the smallest things. Everything is bigger when God shows it to you.
posted by SBean at 5:54 PM
1 Comments:
I think we both know how severely short my writing skills fall, but I welcome all forms of flattery ;O)
Thanks.
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