Watching

Right now I’m enjoying something I don’t often get to do. I’m sitting in my car at church and just watching.

Ok, a little more background, for fear you’d think I was some weird church stalker.

I got to church youth group a little bit ago and was just relaxing and reading a book. Then the middle school group came outside and started playing a game. Thankfully they either haven’t noticed that I was in the car, or haven’t had a chance to say “hi”.

So now I sit here, typing a little and watching. They’re throwing what looks like a heavy blue ball back and forth. Based on their actions the ball must be as heavy as a bowling ball. They’re all just out smiling, laughing and having a great time trying to throw a crazy heavy ball to each-other. One almost went straight at Lanae’s face.

The best was watching Amanda wind on and use everything she had and the ball plopped neatly right between her and her partner. All of them just laughed together. That great laugh where you know you’re laughing together. The knowledge that each of them will have the same problems soon.

Now they’re trying to balance a napkin on a straw (or maybe have a relay race with it), while holding the straw in their mouth.

All I can say is that we have an incredible community around us. People will do so much for one-another. People really can love one-another so much that they’ll make fools of each-other, and laugh the entire time. Sometimes I wish we could do that more as adults.

There are two great leaders giving their time every week to make all of this happen. Jen and Martha plan activities, lead talks and just commit themselves to these 6th – 8th graders. Trust me, from doing this for 4 years, that is something very few people are willing to do. Even fewer are any good at it.

I am just so excited that people like this are around my family. That Rachel will grow up sharing a laughter with others, instead of a laughter at others.

Well, it’s almost time for people to arrive for the senior high meeting, and for me to stop “watching”. Well, the peacefulness always must end; I can only hope I can impart some of that unconditional love I’ve just witnessed.

Often high school is that time we become more jaded in life, and it just seems to get worse. I hope you are looking at this world with some excitement and recognizing the beauty. I also hope that you’re not laughing at anyone, but instead that you are enjoying laughter at no one’s expense.

Peace,
+Tom/Bob

posted by Tom at 5:50 PM