Three Free Children
I need to do a pictorial essay on the modern day Sunday family ritual I experienced today, but that will need to wait till another time when I have more time and am not so tired. Tonight I want to share with you my three dinner companions and share some of our dinner conversation.
Today was my granddaughter’s birthday party. She was six this week. Family and friends gathered for a cookout tonight. The food and drink was put on a table in a large garage, out of the heat of the sun, and after a birthday cake ritual we began to eat. There were four groups of tables. I noticed that the group split up into four around the four tables. One group was the ‘boys’ 8–12 year old, my grandsons, a cousin and two brothers from the dairy farm across the road. Another group was all women, grandmothers, mother and neighboring women. In another group of mostly men were my son and neighbors. After I got my food I noticed a fourth group, my six-year-old granddaughter, her five-year-old cousin and six-year-old friend from the dairy farms across the road. They were at a card table with one spot open and so I sat down.
I tried my old joke on the three children, checking ages of each one and saying “I am free”, but my granddaughter and her neighbor friend had heard it before. They told the five year old cousin what I was saying and she asked me what I was free from? As I stumbled to answer this question which I have not been asked before, she said “Are you free from prison”?
I do not remember much of the rest of the conversation but know it was not about any big thoughts or about the past or future. It was a reality-based conversation with as much silliness and humor as we could make of it. It was a joyful sharing of the meal.
Although I have been feeling tired these last few warm days, the sharing of this meal with the three free children renewed my spirit and woke me up to life.
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