Rosemary and I are currently on holiday in the US and Canada, presently on a cruise from Philadelphia to Quebec to be more precise. Our journey started with a few hiccups. A passenger on our flight out of Perth tried to lift his bag into the hold, discovered it was too heavy for him, and as I was seated below, let it drop on my head – I kid you not! Fortunately I’ve a pretty thick skull so there was no harm done that a panadol couldn’t rectify. Then Rosemary, not to be outdone but willing to wait her turn, had a spectacular fall during the cruise embarkation process when amidst the chaos of boarding (and it was the most chaotic we have ever had) the passenger in front of her abruptly decided to greet a friend, left his case where it was to do so, and Rosemary not seeing it, fell straight over it. Well, its one way to get attention.
Actually a rather interesting scenario then developed. Staff suggested she report promptly to the medical bay which we obediently did. About a dozen forms and a breathalyzer test later (they seemed stunned that the result came back zero) a doctor performed a brief examination and said it was likely that Rosemary would get away with mild brusing and suggested using ice to ease the swelling. We were then told that would be US$250. We objected claiming, I think reasonably enough, that a safer boarding environment should have been provided. They simply shrugged and said the fee was the fee. It was an impasse, but a few days later they announced they would waive the fee. We felt vindicated, but it make for a sour start, though things have got steadily better, and we are having a wonderful time.
A verse I have been reflecting on through the trip is Phil 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: rejoice!” It’s followed by “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near” (v5). These are challenging verses when things go right, even more so when they don’t. As we contemplated our bruised heads and unfair bill we asked what it means to rejoice in the Lord and realised it is exactly that – rejoice in the Lord, not in smooth flights or easy embarkations. Rejoicing in the Lord is about what matters most in life. The rest is just today’s circumstances. And as for letting your gentleness be evident to all, it’s interesting to think about the relationship between gentleness and appropriate assertiveness. That’s a delicate dance, but I found it helpful to think about the attached reminder – the Lord is near! Do what you do in the sight of God – for God is near, both eschatologically (the end is not far off) and incarnationally, for God is always close to us.
But what about in the inbetween periods, the neither good nor bad, but slighty dull periods where you are simply waiting in line and nothing much is happening? Now to be clear, my favourite holiday is a cruise, but even so I will admit that there is a fair amout of waiting involved. Going on excursions is great fun – but you are usually one of around 2000 doing so, and each trip on and off the ship involves passing through security. And that involves waiting.
I’ve discovered that Rosemary completely out perfoms me at these times. Within a heatbeat she is in friendly conversation with those in line. For whatever reason no one talks to me – but they rapidly strike up converation with her, opening up about family, and work and grandchildren, and arthritis.
While Rosemary does the talking, I do the people watching. I make a quick mental estimate of each person’s age and then ask myself, “what do you think their story is? What are the big things that have shaped them? If they were a character in a book, what role would they play?” I’m not saying my answers are right, but I do try to pick up on the underlying mood or tone that comes from the people around me. Many people are calm and serene. Others bristle with indignation at the smallest thing. Some never stop talking – seriously, never! In one way or another we all leak our story out to others. I find passing the time in long queues goes quickly when I allow my imagination to spring into play.
And then there was our excursion today, the one I hadn’t had when I wrote the earlier part of this blog.
So here’s what happened on an otherwise amazing trip to the Alexander Graham Bell Museum in Sydney, Nova Scotia. We had just finished an inspiring tour of the museum (I had no idea Bell and his extraordimary wife Mabel were instrumental in so many discoveries), and had a few minutes spare to use the rest room or to spend our surplus dollars in the souvenier shop. I opted for the latter and went in search of a coffee (though the food on the trip is wonderful, the coffee is a challenge), but suddenly heard a minor altercation start. One large man was becoming increasingly heated about a fellow passenger (a little old man) who he claimed had pushed in front of him in the check out line. The language he used to describe the man included several words I hadn’t heard before (mercifully) and then it seemed abusive language was not enough and so he started to talk about what he would like to do to this little old man, saying he had it in mind to punch him, and then, just like that, he did – again and again. The old man’s wife called out that he had a pacemaker, the punching man’s daughter called out to him to stop or he would go to jail, and as quickly as it had started, it was over, the old man fallen over but alive, the aggressive man restrained, some blood on the floor, as well as the contents of a bookshelf that was knocked over. Police were called (and my, they came quickly), and everyone in the vicinity was scratching their heads and asking what that was all about.
I’m also scratching my head. Seriously – who punches an old man with a pacemaker for perhaps having muddled his place in the line – though Rosemary who caught more of the action than I did assures me he hadn’t pushed in the line at all, and that it was all a fantasy of assumed wrong by the aggressive man. Whatever, that man has one serious anger problem. And it was so sad. My last sight of him was of a policeman sitting next to him on the way back to the ship – I think to collect his belongings and then face assault charges. He looked totally deflated, even bewildered. The man he had attacked was on our bus back. He looked very shaken – traumatised actually. His wife – also elderly – looked even more stunned. I don’t think they will remember this holiday with pleasure, and I suspect they won’t have many more.
“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” Wise counsel, and when ignored or abused, such sadness results. And it starts if we lose perspective – and start to think that losing a place in the line is the most unacceptable affront, or forget that we should rejoice in the Lord always… even if we lose our spot. Or have someone drop a bag on our head, or leave a bag for us to trip over, or the coffee is undrinkable. And you know what – we are having a wonderful trip, even if a little more colourful than anticipated.
Nice chatting…
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