I am surrounded by the conversations of people and families that are complete strangers to me. I can not keep but wondering what their lives must be like...you know outside of this place.
There is a group of older folks, obviously from the northeast...their accent, long "aahhhs" like in "Haaaaavaaard" and frequent reference to southerners gave them away. Beside them is a young single mom who is having a bad morning with her frizzy headed, 18 month old, trying to figure out how to feed and wrangle all her energy at the same time.
There is another family with 5 kids, 6 months to 8 yrs., a dad and a grandma. (I'm smiling as i have not seen the momma take a bite yet.) however she has replenished the plates of her offspring a few times now (daddy is content to sip his coffee and offer a few words of encouragement)...she has shuffled back and forth between two small tables for the 10th time now...I'm still smiling.
There are a number of 10 year old girls all dressed in green soccer uniforms ready to go to their playoffs and championship games. The giggles and talking, the excessive hand movements that match the emotions of their conversations are almost an art form, a choreographed thing of beauty that is innate with the female animal from birth. And oh.... the smell of burnt bagels and waffles. The smell of soap and hairspray. Clean fresh people ready to start their day from a common place...this hotel...not home where the mundane and the "have-to's" can smother the plans and adventures of the day.
There is a small baby who has discovered her voice right behind me (she has found the difference between the sound inside and out of her cup with a copious amount of spit and a relatively dry mouth). I can feel the stress of the momma who is concerned her bundle of joy is offending the other guests..the wonder of it all!
The manic rush of the families and the leisurely pace of the older folks from the north are all such a thing of beauty...the sounds of life are filling my ears as I sit here unexpectedly quiet and completely content to take it all in.
The thought that keeps going through my mind is this: "If I have, in such a short amount of time, fallen in love with these people and their cornucopia of life and noise, how much immeasurably more does the Father - who designed them - who knew their innermost parts before they took a breath - who knows everything about them and loves them in spite of it all. How much more does He love them? How much does He desire a relationship with His creation!
I have to hold back the urge to stand up in the midst of them and make sure they all know how much He loves them! I wanted to hug the momma behind me and let her know that I think the noises her baby is making is beautiful. I wanted to look those girls in the eye and tell them they are daughters of the King of Kings. I wanted to buy the folks from the northeast a subscription to national review and help them detox from the up tightness of their upbringing...let them know its OK to just be...warts and all. I want to give the momma with the 5 kids a standing ovation and tell her and all in earshot that she holds the future in her hands and that all she does does not go in vain. I wanted to embrace the struggling single young mother and offer her hope...why didn't I?
I know I did in my heart, but what is it that keeps us from offering love and hope when we see it is needed? Could it be that I hold back because somehow I have a hard time believing these things for myself?
Could be, but for today I choose to make eye contact for a little longer than is comfortable and smile. I choose to watch the children with abandon and enjoy their lust for life, and show respect and deference to those who have a bit more life under their belt than I do.
I choose to embrace the mess and noise and simply enjoy it all!
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