Sunday, September 21, 2014

Partying At The Atheists' House

Well, last night was rare. Tom and I actually went out.

No really, we did.

We were invited to a party (no really, we were) and the ride there! Oh, seventy-some degrees with orange-gold sunlight and we stopped for gas across the street from an old-fashioned ice cream parlor with people everywhere licking ice cream cones and laughing at the tables outside.



For 21 years we've driven past this ice cream shop, but have we ever gone inside? Not yet. Places like this are everywhere in Western New York and maybe we're waiting for the perfect time to visit this one.

Anyway, the party was around 20 miles away, at the home of one of Tom's bosses, and to get there we drove through the outer edge of the town we'd called home for nearly 15 years and well, I'd forgotten there's such a thing as an active world anywhere past 6:30 pm. and with that beautiful late summer sunshine, the memories flooded into my head-- raising Naomi there, chauffeuring her and my own growing-up emotionally there, hundreds of sweet memories tugged at my mouth, making me smile.

And for someone who lived in too many towns as a teen, I'm still delighted at knowing how things looked alongside that stretch of road 20 years ago and being able to note all the differences today and owning memories for both.

About halfway to the party, we stopped at a huge supermarket (whose beginning I still remember) and while Tom went inside to buy a pot of roses as a hostess gift, I sat in the car and watched happy parents and children walk past and recalled why I love where we live. Always the air has felt different, more joyful to me than it ever did out West. Or perhaps that's because I've felt more joyful here. Hmm.

As Tom sat the roses on the floor in back, a man said, "Oh! Your cart was rolling away. Here you go." Tom thanked him and the man said, "You're welcome, my friend."

Truly, I love New York and always I'll thank God for flying us here thousands and thousands of days ago.

The ride took us down the long road which I used to always take to the airport when picking up myriad visitors (or Tom or even Naomi one midnight), a route incredibly out of the way, but sane and beautiful with its old houses and woods and more memories on this night.

The party? Lovely, with three other couples in this beautiful home, all seated around an HGTV-worthy kitchen island, eating h'ordeuvres made by the sweet, young wife, enough to feed a village. We told stories about our past and train rides through corn fields and our children and African adventures and it didn't even matter that Tom's boss calls himself an Atheist.  I just silently prayed for him sitting there next to me and listened to his fascinating stories and noted his especial kindness to Tom.

Memorable, mystical night, even though you all know what an introvert I am. Yet we introverts need to mix it up sometimes, to get out, to remember there's a huge world out there who does not go to bed at 8:30, but who gather together to share their homes, their stories and themselves until the moon appears then tiptoes across the inky sky.




*****


"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”   ... John 13:34,35

6 comments:

Terra said...

Hey, I am an introvert too, so I get what you are saying. How good you prayed for the atheist, when I read that I prayed for him too. It sounds like you have found the home spot to live in.

Pam said...

Debra, I love that you and Tom went to the party and had a great time, in spite of the fact that your beliefs are different from those of the host! While reading your post, I was reminded of growing up in a church that looked down on everybody and everything that wasn't part of their dogma. Such a narrow way to live. Strangely, I didn't realize how wrong that was until I was away from it. Glad you had fun!

Deborah Raney said...

I felt like I was reading a wonderful novel when I read this post. Love the mood you created, and especially how you came out of your "shell" and enjoyed the party. ALWAYS enjoy your blog!

And there's the INSIDE of the ice cream store. So did you stop there for a treat after the party?? :)

Anonymous said...

I'm an introvert as well and more so as my disease progresses. Too loud, too much talk, too many people.
However God has seen fit to send these same folks my way to chat with one-on-one which is so much easier for me.
Good post.
Jan from Maine

Anonymous said...

Love this one, Debra, especially praying for the boss! A fine trip down memory lane, too. Joyce

Debra said...

Thanks, Everyone, for your fun comments! And I do hope you'll continue praying for Tom's boss and his wife. They let us know they enjoyed having us over and now Tom and I would like to have them visit us here. We want to be loving, Christian examples and are already praying in that way.

Oh, and no trip to the dairy bar yet!:)

Thanks again.... Blessings, Debra