My business card reads, DEEV - life expansionist. A life expansionist works across the entire age spectrum, with the common goal of helping others live at full throttle, being the fullest, happiest, most joyful self possible. At this particular point in time, any given week can find me working at various times with a brace of youngsters, supporting young adults, engaging with three or more older friends.
The past few days brought home to me the particular & peculiar joys that are mine because of the work I'm called to do, including getting to be in the very active presence of the innocence of youth & the wisdom of old age.
We are all meant to regularly experience the full range of the age spectrum - to be in close proximity to the scent & feel of a little baby, the enthusiasm of a young child, the interesting company of older children, the exasperation & exhilaration of teens, the promise of early adulthood, the deepening of maturity, the delight of new parents, the perspective of older adults, the insights of the elderly. We were created to live as tribes, we settled for close community. Alas, few people in our current day & age get to have even that once-common experience. Lucky me!
This past week was filled to over flowing with the joys of such connection. John & I took an older friend out to lunch on Tuesday - the two of us, our friend, his daughter, and his beloved pooch/therapy dog having a grand time as we dug into great deli food, savoring every bite & the stories that father & daughter swapped throughout the meal.
Two days later, on Thursday, we had the pleasure of taking a grannie client out to lunch. The glorious late-winter day mimicked early summer, with temperatures in the mid 70s. We meandered up to New Hope, where we ate riverside at The Landing, our table literally within a stone's throw of the Delaware.
To experience our older friend's delight in the day, in the coo of a baby at the table next to ours, in enjoying the sight of people having a grand time alongside the flowing river - what deep happiness. She had a wonderful time, but it was John & I who probably felt the fullest hearts, being able to be with her, picking up her comments on life, her insights into living within the present moment, her capacity for wholehearted living.
The best, went-straight-to-my-heart moments happened yesterday, after picking up three young ladies from school, heading back to their house. Two of the girls were sisters, ages 9 & 12; the other, also 9, was one of the good buddies. Due to spring breaks & Easter, this was the last I'd see them until April, so asked about their plans for the holiday/holy day.
We talked about grandparents arriving, about relatives expected for family dinners, about Easter dresses & what were Easter bonnets. Soon, talk turned to Easter egg hunts & an unexpected wondering about the Easter Bunny.
The young friend absolutely believed in the Easter Bunny & had pretty convincing evidence to back up her belief - "There's no way my mom is going out at midnight to get all those treats & candy!" The other two girls... Well,the 12-year old stayed diplomatically silent, while her 9-year old sister was tender, but firm - "I believe that there is a Santa, but I don't believe in the Easter Bunny. How could he hide everything, everywhere?"
To which the young friend answered, "Because with God's love & help, all things are possible." Ah, the best of the best - the wisdom of innocence.
Credits:
liftingtones.com
katzdelikitchen.com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/paul-mcclure/15276894582
kidsvancouver.com
harrymanhouse.com
fanpop.com
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