Yesterday was one of those days for connecting with the spirit. It was not in a church or other house of worship, but at a restaurant on College Ave, in Oakland. We gathered as a bunch of old friends, touching base again, 6 months after our big hectic and crazy Reunion party weekend. (when you are one of the organizers, you never get to relax and have fun with everyone.) The reason for this party/gathering was the celebration of life and birthdays with three of our lot and most importantly for one of us, whose coming birthday was the excuse. You see, he is in a gentle battle with a disease that is taking his health and strength most days but yesterday he gathered that strength and came to feel our love and energy coursing through him as we shared a meal together, sang Happy Birthday (x3) and passed around the miraculously funny Singing Birthday Hat. Our friend has been one of those magical Kindergarten teachers that you always remember, as well as someone who would rather sleep under the stars, in a sleeping bag. Now, he spends most days in bed. The organizer of the lunch was worried when there was a "turn for the worse" and our friend might not be strong enough to join us. I told her that Rod and I were coming, and that was that. We could gather and take pictures and blow out his candles for him, if he could not gather his strength. Lo and behold, it was a Good Day and our friend Robert's weak body could not hide the Big Spirit shining through his eyes as he arrived in a beautiful Squash Blossom colored shirt, to be kissed and gently hugged.
We gave him our love and Energy, laughter and funny stories. We brought him a copy of the reunion souvenir book because he was not strong enough to come, last October (it would have been Too Much). He can look through the book and wonder who all of these Old People are. There were no Old People at this luncheon; just decades-long friendships with the souls shining through our eyes. It was a Good Day for everyone and one that some of us verbalized, at our end of the long table. Life can be short and the important things are friends and learning that you have to DO things, while you can, grabbing hold of Good Days, taking advantage of them when you can. You don't want to end up in your bed, wondering what you did with your life, other than work like a drone, chasing the almighty dollar. I think that it is all about sliding into home with the body that you were given, creased and wrinkled from experiences, laughter and tears, slivers, bug bites, dog slobber, baby kisses and wonderment.
Robert has promised to drink the Chinese herb tea that has kept one of our Aunties alive 8 years after she was pronounced "hopeless" by a Western Doctor. What the hell, why not? Our friends, who grew up in Oakland's Chinese Community are tight like a family, knowing each others families and history but I'll tell you what, they have stuck together. Rod and I feel so happy to be a part of this family, after all of these years. The faces that sat along this long long table were the same faces that you could see in the candid high school photos from the late '60's. We have been cops, teachers, engineers, artists and myriad other professions but we gather again and again, thanks to the traditions of the majority of us, to celebrate this, that and the other, over a plate of food.
I thank Patty Go for getting us all together yesterday. She has become a big part of our lives again and Rod and I just love her. Robert...drink your tea. xoxo
Comments