Afternoon Rest

A few days back, I had the pleasure of taking in a few minutes of the Fall season. The colors were spectacular, the breeze steady and refreshing, and the companionship memorable.  I was in the company of two very special young ladies-one German, one Norwegian. Their combined wisdom totaled 198 years. The moments with these two beautiful Jewels were Kodak scrap book memories for the heart and the spirit.  The 95 year young gem- in a delicate cream blouse, pink dress slacks with pink nail polish, and a touch of make up- was gentle and sweet;  the 103 year young gem- in a casual blue pastel shirt,  blue jeans with plain nails, and without make up- was calm and tender. These distinguished  ladies with a different attire for the afternoon, different life experiences, different backgrounds  sat comfortably  with one another - I embraced the wonder of their company. I marveled at the bigness of their life. I could feel their love, see their perseverance, hear a splash of their experiences and challenges, and observe the wisdom of time etched on their face. We talked a little, but mainly sat quietly enjoying the ease of our time together. These two gracious ladies were glad to share my company and did not want to occupy to much of my day. I tried to share in an indirect way that there was no other place at that moment that I wanted to be, and that they were sharing with me- the best part of my day. We did not solve any world problems, did not talk of how things were long ago, nor mentioned how things looked at this time period; we simply drank in the sweet flavor of the moment for our tender hearts. We took a snapshot together- I in the middle- this energetic, African American, female half their age; and yet we blended beautifully. I realized that under the big blue, with a continuous breeze, picturesque backdrop of Fall in it's fullness; there was something really special happening. They welcomed the visit, enjoyed the company, and I felt content. It seemed at that moment; we all felt loved, safe, understood, accepted, encouraged, and blessed. I will open that scrapbook when I feel out of step, out of place, and overwhelmed with the moments of life. LORD, help me to remember your kisses of refreshing.