Last night we went to hear mom sing in the Pendle Hill Choir. I love the old “Barn”  meeting room and worship space where once my 10 year old self played with friends hiding between benches while grown ups worked to make the world a better place. I remember sitting in silence at Quaker meetings there and listening to the inspirations of so many “Friends”. Sometimes Dad spoke. Sometimes mom. Even, I think, I ventured to share my thoughts a time or two. Dad sometimes sang of course. He loved to sing all the time and anywhere. But I can’t help thinking he especially loved to sing in Quaker meeting because there were those that frowned upon it. So he was making a point. Of course.

I remember bringing Dad to Pendle Hill when he first came back from Arizona. We visited some of the old places, the old beech tree, the main house, and the Barn. We walked in and dad immediately walked to the center of the benches. “The Light” was touching his face as it came through the old window nearby. “Wow” he whispered, trance like, as if held gently by the arms of time.

This night though, he wasn’t there. I thought of him in the nursing home where I had visited him earlier in the day. He was lying in bed, no doubt, and I wished I could transport him here to listen to the singing in the Barn.

There were two little girls sitting in front of us. Long brown hair, smiles and whispers, one was called on to as she raised her hand to suggest a song for the sing along. “83!” she piped up. Turning the pages we found “Christmas Morning” by Carol Bemmels and Ross Flanagan. Yes, there it is, in the Quaker hymnal. A song my Dad wrote with his 2nd wife Carol, years ago. The group stumbled through it somehow, as I am sure it is rarely sung and barely known. I wondered why this little Quaker had come to request it. The choir director did as well and asked “That is a nice song. Why did you choose that one? Not many of us know that one.” and the girl answered “I don’t know it either but my favorite number is 83! so that is why I chose it!”

Later,I thanked her later for choosing it explaining my serendipitous connection to the son. “Sometimes things happen for a reason” her mother offered with a smile.

Earlier in the day, after taking Ross out for icecream, he thanked me again and again as is his way these days. “I am So grateful. So very very grateful.” he said. THANK YOU!!” “I am grateful too dad!” And then as if trying to one up me, he says “I have been grateful to you for a LONG time.”

“And I have been grateful to YOU for a long time too.”

#Christmasgifts!