Tuesday, September 6, 2011

The September Rain Made Me Do It

I am sitting in a Starbucks in North West Washington, DC. It is Wednesday. This has been a rainy day. I am alone. I glance out the window and watch the pedestrians, watch the traffic. Every now and then I hear the voice of one of the employees announcing a completed order. There are women in skirts, women in pants, women with their hair neatly, tightly pulled back, women with their hair loosely brushed back.There are men in suits, men in khakis, men in denim jeans. Men lean against the counter, men stand with their arms crossed, men stand glancing at their smart phones. There are people sitting in front of computers, a woman writes long hand into a small journal. There are black umbrellas, white umbrellas, blue umbrellas, blue and white umbrellas. People are talking, people are laughing.

In the background music can be heard, music with a slightly reggae melody, reggae hesitation. And there is a comment on people needing help and some mention of a phone call from a month ago...

Sitting here seeing the expressions on the faces, seeing the lack of expression on the faces reinforces my commitment to seek a life above, to seek a life with Christ, being obedient to God. With all of the noise of conversations and machinery echoing as drinks are mixed and served, as anecdotes and concerns are shared, this afternoon feels gloomy, contains a cinematic goriness tinted with sadness, betrayal, fear. These are things which are heard, which are seen in the faces, in the silences.

The sky is colorless. Nearby there are some trees with leaves green and damp. A man drinks an orange colored soda and discusses how a woman in his office hijacked a conversation. There is a new song playing, there are clapping hands. A man in a pale lavender shirt and a purple striped tie gets his coffee and adds sugar to it. He neither smiles nor frowns. His is a look of terror, of exasperation, or is it exhaustion. There is a sense of a soldier walking into the final battle, into a battle which will be lost.

Sitting here I try to think of what waits above for all believers, for all followers. I am aware of what is on earth. I try to keep all of this in my prayers for these people are my neighbors. Sitting hear I think of my baptism, I remember that I have died, remember that my life is with Christ serving God.

The sky remains colorless but becomes brighter. With Christ life will leads me to goodness, kindness, holiness. With Christ there is glory.

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