Him and her, a pair of old souls,
that’s what we were one mild February day. We sat on a bench, enjoying a scenic
view of the lake with a blanket across our laps, holding tin cups with steaming
beverages and eating our picnic lunch. In front of us, ducks flapped in the
water, a canoe floated by with a fisherman in it, other men threw in their
fishing lines from the dock, and behind us, brightly colored runners and
walkers exercised on this urban trail around Green Lake. All we needed was a
crisp or crumpled newspaper in Robert’s hands, some grey hair and a wooden cane
propped on the bench to fully complete the scene. But instead, he read aloud a
blog post from his iPhone and we discussed “things.”
These are moments of quiet
restoration. A break from work at the Angelus hour. Moments to look far away
and get a wider view. Moments to breathe in fresh air and let it fill the lungs
and breathe it out again. Moments just to sit in silence, feeling and thinking,
being inspired.
Now it is spring, and as Shakespeare
would say, "April hath put a spirit of youth in everything." Robert
and I went for a run around the lake today, and I got to try out my brand new
pair of running shoes with soles so springy (ha!) I feel light as air! These shoes
are made for running, so we join the others, full of energy and determination,
chasing each other, propelled on the wings of faith and possibility.
Most days we are the young, cruising
the streets, hopping puddles under the street lamps, staying up too late,
dancing the night away, sipping finely brewed coffee or a mocha artistically
prepared by a bearded, flannel-shirted barista, dining in new restaurants,
taking trips and stamping memories into our beings, making romance in all the
little ways of touching each other’s souls and anticipating each other’s needs.
We look into each other’s eyes and also outward at the world together, sharing
a common vision to inspire and usher forth beauty and life, to share the divine
fire that animates our whole lives with the world around us.
We grow and we grow, from baby to
manhood, girl to woman. As the water rushes over the rocks by the lake, changing
their surface, life keeps changing us. And this is how you keep peace residing
within your lover's heart through it all – listen now, for this is the name of
the love song – being willing to grow individually and together through every
wave, every challenge and every blessing. Embracing youthfulness and welcoming the
coming age and wisdom. Seeking balance between the active life and simple contemplation
being with each other, by the water’s edge.
