Today was the first day that it has actually felt like fall.
After I sent my emotional boy off on the school bus I decided to forego the
breakfast dishes and other morning tasks, and load the kids up in to the car. I
decided to bring the kids over to this little park that we love over by our
church off of Hamline and Selby. It's a sweet little park tucked in to this
little nook near a bridge that is under construction. It is designed for kids
ages 2-5, and with the construction of the bridge, the kids have full view of
all the happenings going on with the huge equipment and busy "worker
guys". This park is a favorite for my kids.
Whenever I go to the park, especially if I am not meeting up
with other mamas, I always look forward to chatting with parents there. So
what's your playground pick-up line? Mine is "So.... do you guys live
around here?" or “So how old is your little one?” HA! Seriously. Those are
my playground parent pick-up lines. And seriously you need to figure out what yours
is because it is so awesome to connect with new people, especially people in similar
stages and phases.
Do you think I am crazy? I'm not... I swear. I just like
people. A lot.
We all have such amazing life stories. I love hearing about
people's lives. And I love sharing my life stories (when people want to know
it, of course.)
When we got to the park we had the whole place to ourselves.
So I checked my email stayed busy chasing little ones around, sipped on
my coffee, and inhaled the sweet crisp air of our newly arriving autumn. Soon a
young hippy dad with a head full of dreads neatly tucked in to his rastacap came
around the corner, carrying his little boy. I almost had tears in my eyes as I
watch this dad play with his boy: helping him to climb, holding his hand as he
walked down the stairs, chasing him around…. all from his wheelchair.
I was so curious about his story. His little boy was about
the same age as Eli. I used my line. “So
do you guys live around here?” He
explained that they just lived across the street, and that they come here
often. I explained that our neighborhood park is connected to a school so that
we had to venture out of the ‘hood during the school year to play.
Then slowly we started up a conversation and I got to hear
one of the most beautiful life stories I had ever heard. He had gotten a spinal
cord injury only two years ago. He fell from a tree. His son was born just
months after. Things didn’t work out between him and his girlfriend, so he now
lives with his loving and supportive parents as he is finding his way in this
world as a dad, a musician, a student and a paraplegic.
He talked to me about what it was like when he was in a coma
for three weeks. He let me ask questions about what it was like, and if he
remembered anything during that time. I had always been curious as to if my dad
was aware of anything during his short time in a coma, and it actually really helped me to hear what his experience
was like. He let me ask him about what
his grief was like after he learned and fully understood that he would never
walk again. He let me ask lots of questions. He was totally transparent. I got
to hear about how his experience has helped him to grow, become more spiritual,
become more grateful and even more hopeful. It was so powerful. His genuine
smile testified to his joy. This was real joy. He talked about how it’s a choice each day to
be positive and to venture out, and that his son has been such a gift during
the trials. “If it weren't for him, I’d probably be inside playing video games
all day” he said. Instead he was at a
park playing in the sun with his boy.
I got to share bits and pieces of my story too. About my
dad, about how we lived with my parent’s for a season too. We shared so many
commonalities: we both attested to having great parents, good relationships
with our siblings, awesome boys, human services majors, love for our kids, etc.
I left that park feeling so happy and inspired.
We are all so broken. Some of us have broken spirits, broken
hearts, broken bodies, broken relationships, broken families.
So what do we do with the brokenness? Do we allow it to
consume us and bring us down? Or do we allow beauty to come out of it? We have
to find fullness again. It will look different, but we are able to be made new
again even after the most tragic of life circumstances.
This guy was a perfect example of this. Even though he was
broken, he radiates beauty and fullness through the life that he is
establishing and choosing to live every day.
So what’s the glue that puts you back together after the brokenness?
My glue? My God.
My husband can’t fix my brokenness.
My mama can’t either (and moms are supposed to be able to fix EVERYTHING!) Only God has what it takes
to put me back together.
Today I am thankful that out of brokenness there can come
beauty and (even stronger!) fullness.
Find your glue people, and slather it on.
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