"If you read one particular book a lot of times," Lucy says, "it seems like it's shorter than all the other ones." She smiles, leans her head toward me. She quints her eyes. We nod.
CS Lewis said you only know the true essence of surprise and satisfaction after you've read a story many times, many many times, traced the silhouette until it's memorized. So it is, we memorize the stories, silhouettes of surprise.
Gratitude:
5473. I make it through the first vein surgery. Serendipitously, I find the surgeon a fellow Christian and philosopher.
5474. Craig and the children wait on me hand and foot.
5475. I knit up a storm to pass the recovery time.
5476. Craig plays me countless games of Chess.
5477. Jane accepts my offer of Kitchen Manager for two weeks (modest salary included).
5478. Craig shows up with a salted caramel chocolate bar. For me.
5479. Joey tries to wash chicken poop off his flip-flop in the kitchen sink only to be discovered and shooed out.
5480. "I know there are sharks in that water," Myra says about a river in town. "That's why I'm not gonna swim in there."
5481. The Fourth of July comes and goes. I pray our country doesn't relinquish our freedom in the name of "safety".
5482. I listen to a sermon my brother preached, then listen to it again with Jane. Why do the wicked prosper? He answers this question.
5483. When I am able to do less, the love of my family means even more. Unconditional affection, this is a true marvel. I am so rich.
Praying for a swift recovery for you, friend. The chicken poo in the sink part made me laugh - Joe seems like such a character. All of our kids' flip flops are in need of his TLC, too.
ReplyDeleteThere IS something grounding about knowing the stories. Telling and re-telling. It IS purposeful. Think of all those family stories we tell overtime we get together. Surprise and satisfaction. Our own book of parables.
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