Again yesterday, there was a herd of children here on the farm playing with my child. This life is so beautiful and I am filled with awe at the infinite creativity of the Universe to fulfill my heart beyond the tiny human imaginings of my mind.
Mateo and I have had “William Day” for nearly a year and a half. Once a week the two of us drive 4 miles into town and fill the car with children to bring back to the farm. With schools being cancelled we immediately increased to twice a week. That first Monday of school closings, Mateo and I went to a church in Montgomery that was offering free lunches for public school children. I went to see if I could help out and I brought Mateo to play with any children that might be there. First we picked up William and his little sister Avrilanna, then headed to the church. The kids were given a nice meal of spaghetti and garlic bread with an apple and cupcakes. We sat down and ate together. Then they hit the playground! For an hour those kids showed me that Joy is the only thing that matters. What ever ‘adult things’ might be happening in the world that could cause me worry are not important when there is a fresh playground to explore. I was so grateful to those kids for the innocent reminder of what it really means to thrive as a human here on earth. Eat together, play together, laugh and shout, run back inside for another cupcake, and then play some more.
Mateo and I picked up two different children from a different house the next day and headed over to the church, filled with happy memories of the previous day. I stood in shock and fear that quickly turned into anger, (which thank God I was able to recognize and channel into a kind statement of honesty) as the nice volunteers told me that today was carry-out lunch only. We couldn’t eat together like we did yesterday. Oh I was crushed. The nice people at the church were trying to protect their “Certified Kitchen” License and they truly believed that the “State” had Inspectors out driving around and popping in Kitchens to try and bust people for sharing a meal together. Oh I was devastated. The new “Rules” being communicated were disheartening sure, but the regular peoples’ fear and strict adherence to these “Rules” crushed me way more. I certainly was not listening to anything that had been “going on”. The only bits that had reached my ears had come from people telling me what they themselves had chosen to hear or read. I had trimmed down my “follow” list on Facebook so I could only see the friends that were posting things that I thought were funny. So I’m only following about 7 people right now. Anyway, I was actively choosing to let “this” all affect me very little and it was crushing to see these kind church volunteers bend so easily just to protect some kitchen license. I guess maybe they believed is was “safer” not to eat together, which again, I completely do not subscribe to any of that. I have not participated in the “Germ Theory” for almost 10 years and one could read a previous ‘blog’ offering about that specific topic if interested. It is a Religion and I am NOT a believer.
But ok, we are here at the church so let’s load up with food that is generously and kindly offered to us. Morgan and her brother Xavier got their Mac n Cheese, chips, apple, and a cookie and then came back to the farm and we ate together there. They stayed until evening and then I took them home to their unfortunate apartment with few windows and a front door that opens onto an alley way. We had spent a nice day together. That was the FROG day, the first day of spring that I heard the frogs singing to my heart and filling it with Love, the kind of Love that drives away fear and confusion. Mateo and Morgan and I walked out to the pasture and stood by the ditch to listen. We built a little bridge across the ditch and then sat on the other side which was the high, berm side, so was dry. Yes. That turned into a glorious day.
The free lunches are still happening and we have been back many times. Yesterday Mateo and I got four lunches to go and then went in to Camden to see who wanted to spend the day at the farm. We picked up Morgan, Blake, and Alexis. These three children come from 3 different families, 3 separate households. It was wonderful to find so many friends that were not the least bit concerned with what is “going on” in our society. Alexis was new to the group and I met her mom for the first time as her child climbed into my car. The kids all know each other and where every body lives so I just drive around as they direct me to their friends’ houses. I love it. I fantasize about driving an extra long church bus with bench seats and filling it up with children to bring back to the farm. Oh the glory of it all.
So that’s how my life has been lately. We’ve almost finished two weeks of school closings and our social life has improved greatly. The kids talk about mud on their shoes and playing hide and seek. They swoon over horses and cows and dogs. They are my great teachers. I might suggest that you go find some children to play with and allow yourself to remember that All is Well.
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