February 11, 2011

Who Dat? It was Susan. She waved her hands happily in the air as I pulled into the driveway. She then continued to run and scream to the garage door that led into the house saying "Surprise!" As soon as I got out of my SUV, hugs and handshakes filled the air with warmth and detail. I was helped with open arms into their house. The dog ran hurriedly around the house knowing his best friend had just shown up. The aromas of the house now filled with the sweet smell of home-cooked food. There was a little pomp and circumstance happening here. You see, this was about the faith of one brother to another. The families of two turning into one only for an hour. The food! It was good. But more importantly, it was there. Cajun Baked Chicken. Creamy Double Cheese Grits. Black Beans and Rice. Roasted Vidalia Onions. Cinnamon Sugar Pecans. It was all about the faith. Life is so precious. We take a lot for granted. The air. The water. The way things are and the way they used to be make the way of things to be. FAITH. Mark and Christie were happy to see me too. A senior in high school and a middle school- er respectively, Christie and my daughter Savannah ran up the stairs to have alone time like young girls do. Mark talked of deep fried turkeys and cheese grits(I think if know one else was around, he would have eaten them all). Steve walked in the door and the family became one. It wasn't like the "Nelsons" or the "Waltons". It was very deep. There was a lot of soul in this room. Now I will say this: the chicken turned the downstairs into a mini Mardi Gras. The smell of this bird set sparks into all of our hearts. Maybe there was some mystical correlation with Valentine's Day Weekend! I DON'T THINK SO! This moment is few and far between. This is purely a meltdown of two families turning into one. Thoughts were expressed, words were spoken and stomachs were filled. FAITH. Mother was there as well. Graceful. Knowing. Respectful. The sweetness of my own mother's heart. FAITH. We could have talked for hours, but dinner back at my place was ready as a delivery store pizza that my daughter received for free, on being Miss Straight A's. Again! Thanks Savannah!( I still owe you some money.) The meal was superb. No fighting. No mocking. Only lost in the moment. We are all so lucky. To have and to have not. FAITH. The soul presence of friendship. It's not really talked about anymore. Why is that? Do we not care about others like we used to. I THINK NOT! The next time you walk by a puddle: step in it. Make a big splash! Let that rain fall on your house all day and then go run in it! Don't worry about tomorrow! It'll come. One way or another, it'll come. FAITH. Thank you Susan. Thank you Mark. Thank you Christie. Thank you Steve. Thanks Mom. Who Dat? FAITH.