Dec. 20, 2002 ~ Moments
After a long, stressful day, I pulled into the driveway and headed towards home. Our driveway is long and filled with potholes, so one must drive slowly. This always gives me a chance, night or day, to take a look around. By the light of a full moon, I've seen deer-o bounding across the fields, sometimes hopping over the fence and crossing the driveway in front of me. Wasn't that a gorgeous moon last night? They say it should be lovely tonight, as well. Anyway. After a rocky start, cold and windy, the day seemed to settle into itself. The cold and wind vanished with the clouds, and we were treated to sunny and warm. Not just any sunny, but that late-afternoon quality of light. Golden. Warm. Glorious. My window was down, as I'd just stopped and gotten the mail. There was a particularly moving version of "Glory, Glory Hallelujah" on tape. I looked up at the hill, and there in the back pasture were our three baby calves, tails helicoptering round and round in the air, running just as fast as their little legs would carry them. Just playing. Henry glanced up from time to time, looking for all the world like an indulgent father, and every now and then a cow stopped grazing and lifted her head to watch the show. Such pretty babies.
Then the barn cats trooped out, a whole herd of them, and drifted in the general direction of the truck. They may be wild kitties, but they know who feeds them. So there we were, in that golden light, kitties, calves, and me, with the last sweet strains of Glory Hallelujah fading out.
Unbearable sweetness. Crisp December air, roses in bloom, babies running for the sheer joy of it, kitties gathering round... sunshine reflecting in the ripples on the pond. This was a moment I will not forget, one of a handful of perfect images.
A brief stop at church this afternoon brought a sweet surprise. The secretary stopped me and said, "I've got something for you." She handed me a phone card with Soldier Boy's name on it, and told me it was from an anonymous donor, a woman who is not even a member of our church. She had given strict instructions not to reveal her identity.
When Soldier Boy was a baby, he was quite ill for a long time. Part of that illness took place when we had no insurance, and the hospital bills would have been overwhelming, were it not for the kindness of an anonymous donor. Imagine my surprise when I was called to the hospital business office, actually wondering if they might kick us out, and being told with a smile that I should just concentrate on taking care of my baby, because someone had taken care of the bill. It was another of those unforgettable, unbearably sweet moments. I always thought our angel was one of the doctors. If you knew him, you'd think so, too.
I would never admit to actually being sick, but I seem to be experiencing less than optimum health. Rats. I've been in close contact with about twelve million sick people these past few weeks, and was feeling rather smug and proud of my super-duper immune system. All those vitamins must have really paid off. Don't even think those kind of thoughts, okay? Because if you do, you're just ASKING for trouble. I didn't get what everybody else has, if that's any consolation. Well, it's not. Still. It will soon pass.
And maybe there will be a letter soon.
Oh... and I know that the name of the song is not really "Glory Hallelujah." Just indulge me, please. You know the song I mean, right?
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