Always sing in the most unusual of places, at the strangest of times.
Cicadas, songs
and kindred spirits have filled my summer months here in our little haven of
Davidson - the glowing heat in day and night seems to bring the atmosphere alive
with calm awareness of everything around us that grows. Last night after enjoying wonderful food and
conversation at an Arab restaurant with the Quaker community, I went with some
special people to find adventure in “NoDa” (North
Davidson), a lively neighborhood in Charlotte.
This adventure took the form of the four of us galavanting around the streets
for a several hours; Gabe and Jordan climbing brick walls, climbing trees, skipping
and imitating Irish accents while Anita and I trailed behind laughing hysterically.
We ended up under an overpass, so naturally the two guys decided we were going to climb
up the side into the corner ledge. And
naturally, we started to sing.
“Way up there, you
and I, you and I…”
We sat on our ledge under the bridge for an hour, singing
whatever came to our minds and harmonizing on the fly. Freedom
is seen in wide sunlit fields, in the expanse of the sky...but it lives in
small things, small corners, small smiles from friends with cement and cars
overhead under the blanket of night.
“All your life, you
were only waiting for this moment to arise….”
Earlier when we were leaving the restaurant, Gabe found tree
sap on his car – his face lit up in its usual joyful way and he exclaimed “TREE
SAP, YESSS.” When we came upon an art
student selling pottery on the street, he immediately made friends with her and
asked all about her life, art and inspiration.
The last place he suggested we sing a few weeks ago was in a circle in
front of the CVS pharmacy entrance. I
have yet to find a corner of life that doesn’t interest him, and I admire his
spirit for discovering and adding excitement in every rising moment.
“I’ll fly away, oh
glory, I’ll fly away in the morning…”
Jordan spent almost a year in the Middle East, and though I haven't known him long I love to
see the light in his eyes and the way his mind flies into another plane of view
when describing how to cook Arab food, speaking Arabic with our waiters at the
restaurant, contemplating the mysteries of language, or simply showing us new
songs on his phone that that he would love for us all to sing. Not to mention he was an excellent driver of
our imaginary Flintstones vehicle as we later strolled up to the drive through window of cookout
on foot.
“And every breath we
brew was hallelujah….”
Just hours earlier at dinner, Anita mentioned that the way
she sees God in the heart and music of others.
We have spent many a summer day laughing and making music, and each note
she sings blends with the air as if it had been there all along and is
rejoicing in having finally been found.
She found the notes that live under bridges at night; her heart is as
genuine as her smile, and I hear God in her voice.
“Come with me,
my love….to the sea, the sea of love…”
….Always sing in the most unusual of places, at the strangest
of times.
