TheBanyanTree: a breath of hair....

[Sachet]

I was sitting in church today...enjoying the music....contemplating 
communion - my past actions, some of which I deeply regret, the 
multitude of things for which I have to be thankful....my recent 
birthday that was splendiferious for so many reasons....the changes I 
would like to make in my life. All the usual spiritual aspects that tend 
to be a part of sitting still, focusing and nurturing my faith.

It's hard for me to sit still and just do one thing. Always has been. 
But I do try.

Usually I manage pretty well. But today.....<soft sigh>. There was this 
little elderly lady in front of me with the most beautiful soft white 
head of hair. I hope my hair turns that beautiful snowy white color when 
its time. And she was dressed in an elegant dark purple/burgundy-ish 
dress. Which tended to be a splendid background for that one lone snowy 
white hair that was laying so peacefully, but so very obviously, on her 
shoulder. I tried so very hard to ignore it. I mean really, it wasn't 
hurting anything just laying there. Besides, it wasn't any of my 
business. It's not like I even knew her and could reach up and flick it 
off for her. Which would have made my life considerably easier. But it 
was like a spotlight was shining on it, making me antsy crazy.

My gaze was continually and repeatedly drawn to that one lone snowy 
white hair. I determinedly looked away. And successfully managed to 
focus on the music or speaker for about ooooohhhh...30 whole seconds. 
Praying, by default, made it easier because I had to close my eyes. But 
like a magnet, that single beautiful snowy white hair, pulled my gaze to 
it, over and over again.

So I blew at it.

Softly.

Gently.

Unobtrusively.

Hoping that she would just think a cool breeze was blowing on her neck, 
since it was delightfully cold outside, even though the church was comfy 
warm.

I was so pleased when the third gentle blow made it move. I almost had 
it off of her shoulder! One more breath of air should have done it!

Then my daughter smacked me on the leg and hissed at me to stop it. 
Geez! I was so close and she wanted me to stop?!?!

Pfffft. I blew one more time and it shifted until it was almost touching 
the back of the pew. The suspense was killing me! My daughter was 
grin-glaring at me, whisper-threatening me...but that that snowy white 
hair was beckoning me and I had to, HAD to get rid of it!

So I oh-so-casually lifted my hand up as if I were going to touch the 
back of the pew to readjust the way I was sitting or reach for a hymnal 
in the back of the pew. Heck, I didn't care what I had to do in the 
realm of normal behavior, as long as I could reach oh-so-slowly, 
oh-so-nonchalantly and oh-so-slyly pluck it off of her 
shoulder!!!!!!!!!!! She never even felt me removing it. No one but my 
daughter even noticed.

I was that good.

And dayum it felt soooooooooooooo wonderful to be able to nestle back 
into my pew and focus on the music and sermon.

My soul was at peace. In church. As it should be. Ya know?

<g>


....Sachet