People who Point Us

I've been around long enough to have a good look around. Now I'm too old to go about and be bothered about fitting in or fooling around. I'm waning instead of waxing, according to the moon. And the moon, as it casts its light on us all, reminds me of the different seasons of my life that have influenced me (my character) in some sort of way. Those seasons have been centered with different actors in my play. (Our lives are really works of art, if you think about it.) This story is about the early lessons in the play called life.

My immediate family (and yours) is the core. Those are where we learn what we value, what we want to hold on to, what we want to run away from. And we learn what we want to run towards, if we are lucky.

Think about the people just outside of that immediate circle. Aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins. Have they been placed in our lives for a specific purpose, as well? What lessons have they taught? I thought about my aunts. They brought so much to the table for me. I guess, this is the whole point of people being in our lives. I truly think God works through them, to give us exactly what we are going to need in our futures. I called them my fairy godmothers in this story:

And outside the sphere of family, we connect to others in our journey. In the early sixties, in my first decade of life, my parents and I lived in Canary Islands, Las Palmas to be precise. We found an apartment nestled behind our landlord's home. It felt "safe" in so many ways. One of the ways it felt that way to me was because of Manolo and Rosario, our landlords. They were an older, childless couple. I was a child in need of grandparents. They spoiled me and took me places, gave me hugs, and spent time with me. I loved to go their home where there were plenty of dogs and birds to enjoy, too. There were crosses depicting the crucifixion on the walls in their house. I was drawn to them, they fascinated me.

When we moved back to the States, my parents divorced. We lived for awhile with my grandmother and a single aunt in a rented four bedroom house in Houston, Texas. My grandmother influenced me with her calmness and quiet spirit. I was too young to see the hurt behind her eyes, but I felt her endurance, nonetheless. I was smart enough to cling to her wisdom, though. She taught me sayings with profound meaning, like "pretty is as pretty does," and "do the best you can with what you've got and don't worry about the rest." She also taught me this from the Bible:

Across from that same place in Houston, lived my best friend, Cathy. Her grandmother was a big influence in her life, too. And that grandmother also influenced me, as well. Every summer she took the both of us to Vacation Bible School. It was my first encounter with "learning about God" in such an organized way. I liked the arts and crafts that went along with that, too. There, we also all watched the movie (1965 version,) The Greatest Story Ever Told (first time I saw the total story of Jesus):

Cathy's grandmother always gave us brooches as gifts, and I thought they were so neat. I still like those things even though I don't wear jewelry. Her gifts made me feel special in her thoughts towards me. Little things mean a lot, right? I wish I could remember her name, though.

It was in November of 1965 that my cousin, Darlene, was curious about the newly built Astrodome and the charisma of Billy Graham, the evangelist.

"November 1965: Graham's crusade at the brand-new Astrodome fills the stadium for 10 days in a row. More than 13,000 respond to his invitations to accept Christ. An estimated 61,000 people attend the final service – including President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird Johnson " (She and I were among those.) https://www.chron.com/houston/article/Billy-Graham-s-crusades-filled-stadiums-in-12629882.php

It is just my belief that people have been strategically placed in our lives to point us in the right direction for our lives. There have been others that point us in opposite directions, too. But maybe, they, too have taught valuable lessons? My life hasn't always been peaches and cream. But I find it helpful to reflect about all of it. The good, the not so good, and the real heartbreaks. I do look for silver linings. That's where I find God.

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Darlene's story:

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I would really like to hear your story, too. About your faith, your influencers, your roots, your wings, and your lessons. (Even if your experiences were different than mine.)

https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/empower-faith-based-voices-on-vocal-media?