Shower Joy
If I’m not traveling for ministry, my Saturdays all look pretty much the same – visiting my 93 year-old father who lives in an assisted living environment, taking him to Marshalls or Ross, a vocal work out and then home to do my household chores. However, this past Saturday, my boring routine was interrupted by an amazing experience in the parking lot of Walmart. I was rushing to pick up several things for my dad when I saw something that made time stop for a few minutes. It is still surprisingly warm for October here in Salem so when I arrived at Walmart, the sprinkler system which waters the flower beds in the parking lot was on full blast completely flooding one particularly large flower bed. As I parked the car, the sprinklers turned off and within seconds, thirty or forty little birds that had been up in a nearby tree descended into the pool of water and went completely nuts splashing around as if they had never seen water before. I was transfixed by the number of birds that participated in this public bathing extravaganza, but what really captured me was their unbridled joy. What a pleasure to see a moment of absolute truth. I”m so sorry I didn” t have my camera with me. Those little creatures were so involved with their joyful play that they didn’t seem to care that I had approached them and stood so close that my pant legs got wet from all their splashing. It was one of the most amazing things I had ever experienced. Much later in the day, I still felt a spring in my step as I vacuumed the living room and remembered those little birds. It never ceases to amaze me the joy I derive from nature. Before church yesterday morning, I took a leisurely shower and as I recalled how much those sweet little birds enjoyed their bath, I decided my morning needed to start with a little dance of joy in my own shower. It was great fun and it colored my whole day. A word of warning however. If you decide to do our own dance of joy in the shower, you might want to lay a few towels on the floor. Shower-joy is a wet business. HA!!
Lorie Neighbors
What a sweet post, Marcia! I have a feeling the world would be a more loving and nurturing place if more people took the time to look at simple, everyday things that go on around them and took joy in their existence! Thanks for the reminder!