I’d most likely discover several intersections between us. Like this one:
I had a ophthalmologist’s appointment Thursday morning. Things weren’t very busy, and I spent some time chatting with my doctor. We talked about what his kids are doing and how the youngest of the clan is finishing up his last year of college and will be going to work with an important Wall Street business. Right now, he’s sharing a nice apartment with two other friends, right on the western edge of Central Park in New York.
I think that Dad’s maybe a little worried about some of the more dangerous elements of the big city. But, the boy is quite confident and eagerly looking forward to his new job. And, quite frankly, the other four kids are all quite competent and are working in interesting professions, and, I’m sure, contacting their parents regularly.
When Jeremy was teen-aged, he baby-sat for the ophthalmologist’s family, when there were only a couple of kids, so the doctor always asks about him. I said that he and Sarah had taken a trip into Manhattan to see a play, and they stayed at the Plaza Hotel.
Jeremy and Sarah knew that I read the children’s book “Eloise,” when I was a school-ager, and really enjoyed it. The character, “Eloise,” lived in the Plaza hotel with her nanny. I was so excited that they were staying there, that I went to the library and checked out “Eloise,” so I could read it again and enjoy knowing that Jeremy and Sarah were actually there! On one of the trips that JoAnne and I took to New York, we visited the Plaza, too, but we didn’t stay there.
As I talked about Jeremy and Sarah’s living in Brooklyn, the doctor mentioned that his parents had taken a trip to Europe, and they were flying back into New York when the Twin Towers were coming down. They were, of course, unable to land in New York, and their flight was sent to Newfoundland, instead. His folks had to stay there several days.
“I know about that!” I said. “That’s the play that Jeremy and Sarah went to see!”
He was somewhat confused.
“There’s a new play,” I explained. “It’s called ‘Come From Away.'”
He told me about his parents’ experience in Gander, and I said, “I’m going to call Jeremy. He’ll love knowing that your Mom and Dad were actually there!”
I don’t ordinarily call Jeremy in the middle of a work day, at least rarely, but I thought this was unusual enough.
“Hi,” I said. “Do you have a minute? I’m with the eye doctor right now. I’m going to hand the phone over to him.”
The doctor explained about his parents’ experience trying to get home after 9/11, and Jeremy explained about his and Sarah’s experience seeing the play. And I felt like I was putting pieces of a puzzle together. Well, one of those preschool puzzles that only have a few pieces. But, when you put it together, even if there aren’t very many pieces, you get a nice picture.
Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.
John 21:4-6 (English Standard Version)
Sometimes I have to stop and remind myself that I need to look around and find Jesus. He is always there.