Christopher blowing out his make shift birthday candle for his birthday.
September 16, 2015
I sat in the old church located in the Town of Palm Beach.
It was recently refurbished. It’s location was ideal if you were someone who believed
that life began and ended with the ocean as the church’s view was a panoramic
scene of the intercostal waterway.
Just out its double French doors there is a path you can
travel down that leads you passed a beautiful fountain. The old brick pavers
forked into two directions, one to an old building that was refurbished, the
other a long path towards a large oak tree that lead you towards the water. That
was the best path. It was a nice place to meditate and listen to the seawater as
it smacks against the rocks, stirred up by the wake of a passing boat. The
sound was so soothing it was almost heaven sent.
Gazing out from where I stood, on the edge of the horizon,
while the sun was setting new life breathed into me because I had survived
another day and I proved once again that I was stronger than I thought.
While sitting down on the wooden bench and watching the rest
of the orange sky get doused by the oncoming blackness a man sat next to me to
enjoy the moment as well.
He was an African-American man, older, I’d say in his 70’s,
graying hair, infirm, missing a few teeth but what he may lacked in a physical
sense was made up by his intellect and charm. He had a soft voice, calm
demeanor and great outlook on life.
“I’ve served this church since the 1960’s and I tell ya that
sunset never gets older than I am,” he said.
“It was truly a majestic site to behold. Funny to witness
such magic on the footsteps of god house,” I said.
“This church is my baby. I’ve taken care of her for a long
time. Seen so many people come and go out those doors. So many good times and
bad times I need these sunsets to recover and to remember how small we truly
are compared to the greater scheme of things.”
“And the church treats you good? I mean they must if you’ve
been here so long.”
“Well, it’s work. Not just god’s work, you understand, but
work that pays my bills. I don’t need much I live on meager means. Not by
choice mind you. It’s just the way things worked out. And the church folks,
Well, I’ve seen some good parishioners and have dealt with some bad ones too.
But I never let it affect me I was more sad that with all these things they
had, the cars, the clothes and now these fancy phones, you’d think they’d be
happier.”
“I appreciate you,” I said, “And not because of the
hardships that made you stronger or the mistreatment that made you wiser. I
admire you because life didn’t harden your human spirit. That with each new
day, when the sun rose and set, you were grateful that there was another day to
reflect on what your purpose in life was. That takes a lot of heart.”
“I didn’t want to make this a religious theme conversation,
even though we are sitting on the steps of this old institution, but you’re
right, I served God, and that gave me meaning in a personal way that I know gave
me peace from within. No one needs to preach to me when I can feel comfort.”
“Your comfort?”
“It’s the fabric that is woven in me that only a content man
can feel. And I’m grateful to be alive.”
The orange hues of the sky tuned deep blue and the stars
began to dot the black dome above. Night was upon us and the day was in the
record books. We both got up from our seats and made our way up the lit path
way back towards the church.
“Do you need a ride home,” I asked.
“No thank you, I want to enjoy the rest of the night and appreciate the moment by walking home. Not too many days left like these and I want
to savor the feeling I have.”
As he walked away I watched. The man was grateful and he had
so little. A humbled man, disappearing in the dark, for all I knew I was
talking to Jesus himself.
Christopher excited to see one of his gifts.
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