Love, a Weapon
Strangely, we had two tornadoes touch down here a few days ago, less than ten minutes from where I'm sitting right now. And these surprise twisters were very much out of season. Just a few streets up, there was plenty of wreckage, and an enormous tree fell, destroying a home that belongs to some friends of mine -- a sweet couple with a brand-new miracle baby, as the mom is in her forties. Luckily, Dad was at work, and Mom and baby were in the bathtub when the tree demolished the building, but the two were stuck in there until the firemen came.
The next day, I was caught up in outside stress, but then I called to ask the mom if she needed anything, and she responded, "No, we're all OK. We're at my mom's. We're lucky we have a place to go. No one is hurt." Also, miraculously, most of their formula and diapers had remained intact and dry. Then she laughed and said, "The baby thought it was bath time, and she was looking at me like she was wondering why I didn't turn on the water."
And even with the horrendous noise, that little girl never cried. Not once. Rather than shed a tear, rather than worry about herself, she focused on her mom, who remained strong. The baby focused on what she knew as love. And for that baby, in that moment, love itself summed up her entire world.
It touched my heart and jerked me into reality, reminding me of what's crucial to all of us. Nothing can keep us from love. Nothing. Love, kindness, concentrated positive thoughts, and human empathy -- these are the real weapons in this life.
You are important. We are all important. I dearly love these friends for showing me the truth and today, humbly, I'm reminded of these utmost important life lessons, not by a guru or great leader, but rather, I'm reminded by an infant. Despite the disruptions all around, I will strive to continue to be a channel of goodness, because my actions, and your actions, today...well, simply put, they mean everything. And together, we can turn a tornado into bath time. We can turn turmoil into quietude, comfort, and tranquility.
The stuff of movies? Perhaps. But every film began with one person's speck of a dream, one person's miniscule thought, a thought that later turned into a complex, real creation, and it is up to us to determine how this world's movie ends. If we focus, if we act in the spirit of goodness, if we grasp the notion that each moment is an opportunity for connections and grace, nothing can keep us from love.
C.A. MacConnell
