Falling - Not sure why I'm thinking of this now
Mom
On the way, walking home from Grand Union (we used to call Grand Onion) my Mom tripped on a crack in the sidewalk. I was probably 4 years old. We were walking and I was a little boy. On the ground, my Mom seemed gigantic. Not that she was obese, or very tall, in fact she was 5'4" and average build....if anything a little light....but there it was, blood coming out of her bruised knee. I was low on the ground with her, absolutely useless. I have no memory of how she got up, or went home. Based on my age, she was under 40, so probably she just got up and shook it off, and we walked the rest of the way home. And yet, there it is 62 years later - a still life painted in my mind.
Dad
Mom needed a brain tumor removed. I found the best surgeon I could and brought my Dad to see him. It was a very big move, from the suburbs to the city - by my Dad was open to the idea. On the way from the Surgeon's office to the parking lot my Dad, then in his 80s tripped and fell. I picked him up slowly and noted his skinned knee...he brushed it off and pulled us forward to the parking lot....we were both so consumed with the challenge of my Mom's upcoming surgery, we never spoke of it again.
I'm not much for religion, but I am open to a good sermon. One in particular: When we ask why God allows bad things to happen to his children. And the Pastor said: Even when we're walking on the sidewalk with a child, sometime he trips and falls and has a bruise...do we want them to be injured? No. But as parents, there are limits as to how much we can protect our children. It's the same for God.
As I said, I'm not much for religion - but I can relate.
Not sure why I'm thinking of this now....
On the way, walking home from Grand Union (we used to call Grand Onion) my Mom tripped on a crack in the sidewalk. I was probably 4 years old. We were walking and I was a little boy. On the ground, my Mom seemed gigantic. Not that she was obese, or very tall, in fact she was 5'4" and average build....if anything a little light....but there it was, blood coming out of her bruised knee. I was low on the ground with her, absolutely useless. I have no memory of how she got up, or went home. Based on my age, she was under 40, so probably she just got up and shook it off, and we walked the rest of the way home. And yet, there it is 62 years later - a still life painted in my mind.
Dad
Mom needed a brain tumor removed. I found the best surgeon I could and brought my Dad to see him. It was a very big move, from the suburbs to the city - by my Dad was open to the idea. On the way from the Surgeon's office to the parking lot my Dad, then in his 80s tripped and fell. I picked him up slowly and noted his skinned knee...he brushed it off and pulled us forward to the parking lot....we were both so consumed with the challenge of my Mom's upcoming surgery, we never spoke of it again.
I'm not much for religion, but I am open to a good sermon. One in particular: When we ask why God allows bad things to happen to his children. And the Pastor said: Even when we're walking on the sidewalk with a child, sometime he trips and falls and has a bruise...do we want them to be injured? No. But as parents, there are limits as to how much we can protect our children. It's the same for God.
As I said, I'm not much for religion - but I can relate.
Not sure why I'm thinking of this now....
