Can We Talk 2

Unexpected Gathering

         I was at my computer today, taking a break from housekeeping, when unexpected company came in. Almost immediately, I got a phone call. My sister-in-law. 70 miles away, was checking to see if my brother and their son had arrived yet. I never asked, but I wondered why the unplanned visit was taking place. What if both my father and I had to go out for appointments or just shopping? They stayed all afternoon. I had to do an impromptu lunch. Some stayed until late tonight.

         I'm not complaining too much. I do love them. But it cut short our work plans, and left me without decent food prepared. Of course, with these wild children, not only did I not get my housework done, but the house looked like a tornado hit after they left. The five year old went into Great Grandpa's room to steal his pillows for playing. When I caught her, she took them back and threw them on the floor. They're never allowed into his room! A three year old got pushed down the stairs (near the bottom). There were pillows everywhere. Toy cars under the coffee table. To settle down the cousins, someone turned on the TV. So two kids had to eat in front of the TV or they wouldn't have eaten.

         I have been crazy for honeydew melon lately and had just sliced one up this morning. It's history now, but not because of me. It was good to have them all, even unexpectedly. My dad is almost 90; who knows how many more years they can spend time with him? And one of my brothers, the grandfather of some of the kids, is in stage 4 cancer. He doesn't need to be staying at home, getting depressed. He needs the love and support of his family. Life as always.

         Now I've swept all the floors, run the dishwasher, and picked up toys. The pillows are back where they belong. I got to witness the 7 month old sit up with both hands in the air for a second before one went back to the floor to support him. I'm fascinated just watching him squirm around and scoot and almost crawl, almost sit. Soon he'll do it all second nature to him. We old folks will carry our sorrows and our joys, all bound up together and intertwined. As long as we can, we'll sweep, cook, clean-up, instruct, watch, laugh and grieve. A full house, a full heart embraces life and death, health and illness, contentment and sadness, and allows them to exist together. How incredible is the human heart to experience sorrow and joy all at once!