Today is library book delivery day!
Yeah, I get a wee bit excited.
I’ve discovered a new author, and that means I will order every one of his books. His name is Sean Dietrich, aka “Sean of the South”, and I’ve been reading his columns on Facebook for a while now. Most of the time his words make me cry, but other times he brings out some laughs, something I sorely need. Many of us need some of that, you know?
I ordered one of his books through the library site, and I fell head over heels for it. He talks about those special get-togethers in church basements, where the folks congregate for good food and great company.
We had those at the Evangelical Covenant Church here in town. Gary introduced me to that church, and we attended for many years. Many. My memories of those times light up my heart, and Sean describes them perfectly. It really was like being hugged tight by people who loved you. I miss that something fierce.
One favorite memory is when our dear friend Clara brought her famous taffy apple salad. Just knowing she would respond in true Christian love, I asked her for the recipe. She laughed, a delightful giggle, then said, “No way.” Then she walked away, still laughing.
Oh, and another one. Ours was a church with a Swedish heritage. Clara was proud of that. She had the best Swedish meatballs, and one time we were assigned what to prepare for our gathering. I was given the ingredients to make those, and trying to get them to stick together in a ball just about drove me around the bend. So, I complained about it.
“Oh, stop complaining,” Clara said. “Just keep working at it.” This time she didn’t giggle as she walked away, but she probably rolled her eyes. I loved that woman, and all the others who gathered in the church kitchen putting together a delicious meal. And while those were fun, the times we brought our favorite cookie recipes in to make, bake, and share were my favorite. Can you imagine the scent of those sweets permeating the entire church? I can.
Sometimes we pull out memories like these to get us through the tough times. Like the one I had Wednesday. That was the day I was going for a doctor visit. Most of you do this routinely, it’s sometimes an annoyance, or it can be scary, but for me it was far, far beyond that. I hadn’t been out of the house (except for some lovely ambulance runs) for over three years.
I felt sheer terror. I knew I had to go because my sight is going downhill like a car with no brakes. I know doctors can make house calls, but you kind of need to go in for an eye doctor visit. The night before, I contemplated calling the office and canceling. I started to get sick. My mind was traveling in circles at a speed I hadn’t seen in years.
I fell asleep in a chair, woke, then remembered what was coming. I suddenly realized that I felt a peace that defies description. I kept waiting for it to leave me, so I could go back to being terrified, but it didn’t happen.
The next day, so many things went sideways that I don’t have room to list them here. It was like I was watching this comedy of fun stuff happening to someone else. It’ll make for a funny chapter in my memoirs.
In the end, I had the most incredible experience at the eye doctor, and in just a few days I will finally be able to see things as something other than shapeless blobs. It made everything I went through before and after worth it.
Actually, it was kind of like that warm feeling, that hug, that I felt in the church basement all those years ago. It was compassion and respect, and I’m so thankful.
Oh, and one more thing. One of the most beautiful moments of that day was when I was being wheeled down my ramp and looked into the face of one of my favorite pooches in the world. Bailey, the golden retriever, barked good morning and I was able to finally tell her that I love her.
I’ll just tuck that memory away so I can bring it out when I need it. (And here’s a shout-out to the other Bailey I love – you know who you are, little man.)
