For The Love
She spoke compassionately to everyone in the room. “Okay, if you were a color what color would you be?”
Boots was there to support his wife, Pam, who’d felt sorta depressed lately and was convinced a small group might be the thing, you know, talk it out in community. This group met at the local library every Tuesday at noon, led by local therapist Laura Stuckey, who was more known for her ample cleavage than undepressed clients, but as folks in the small town of Level always said “We work with what we got.”
Pam lovingly squeezed his hand because while she was quite excited thinking about what color she would be, she felt Boots would struggle with this one. She worried this question would push him right over the edge, right out of the group, and she really wanted him by her side in this process. She shot a quick prayer up to Jesus: “Lord, tell Boots his color. In Your name, Amen.”
While all this was going on in Pam’s sorta depressed head, Boots was looking down at his feet, the view he had taken the last three sessions, not primarily to keep from staring at Laura’s Stuckey’s you know, but probably secondarily. He had enough trouble in his life without getting tractor-beamed into that Death Star. What Boots noticed about himself in that downward gaze that Tuesday felt sufficient for the love he was trying to demonstrate to his wife. This was, after all, about her, not him. He didn’t love small groups and talking, but he sure loved Pam.
Pam later said his answer was “an absolute kairos-God-moment-thing.” Immediately after the session Laura called it “A freakin’ breakthrough.” Boots just called it like he saw it, worked with what he had. When it came time for him to share his answer, Boots Jensen looked up and said “Brown.”
I want more
Smiling.
Venus and Mars!
Loved it, John David. It is so totally you! (A real, honest man.)
I’m smiling too. Love leads you unexpected places 🙂
Perfect. Again.
How is it you know people so well?
This sounds like maybe, just maybe, it’s the start to something longer? Love it as – love it if it leads us down the road toward Pam and Boots . . .
This is really beautiful. I’m enjoying your blog so much that I just had to say thanks – especially for this one.
Rev. Charles Gilmore, Jr.
Charles, thank you. May I ask how you found your way here?