Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Special Treat – Bruce Newman

November 11, 2006

Gratitude

A little over a week ago I flew to San Antonio, Texas to see my son, Mark, graduate from basic training at Lackland Air Force Base. The whole ordeal was a bit hectic because I ended up booking my flight the day before I needed to leave, money was tight (as usual) and I had no desire to fly. Yes, I've flown before and enjoyed it. But since Sept. 11 and the fallout from that I had not flown.

Anyway, things came together and I made the trip. I got to San Antonio on Thursday, picked up the rental car and immediately got lost trying to find my hotel. The map of San Antonio is confusing. I can hear the women saying, "Yeah, right. You're a man. You can't follow directions." Perhaps that's true. In any case I was lost and didn't find my hotel for two hours, aided by horrendous after work traffic. The next morning I was supposed to be at the graduation ceremonies by 9:00 AM. You guessed it. I got lost again, missed the ceremony and had to come back to the hotel to get my bearings. After getting oriented and getting specific directions from a guy in a corner store I finally reached my destination. Late but, in this case, better late than never. I called my son on his cell phone and he was within walking distance of the parental meeting place.

It was so good to see him and I could tell he was happy I'd been able to make it. We spent the rest of the day together. On the way back, oh yeah, I got lost. But it was a very sunny and beautiful day. As I worked my way back to the right path my son fell asleep in the front seat. Suddenly I didn't care that I was lost. I was with him on a beautiful day and all I felt was gratitude. On Saturday I picked him up early and we went to the Alamo and spent time on San Antonio's lovely Riverwalk. I was intoxicated with life the whole day. The weather was made to order and, again, all I felt was a very profound sense of gratitude. To me this was a mercy and inwardly I kept thanking God. My son is better than I was at his age. And when I think of all the defects I feel I have as a father I was even more thankful that God has given me sons such as I have. It makes me realize just how much God has not called me to account for every stupidity. Again, Romano Guardini's words are to the point.

When we look at ourselves aside from the illusions induced by self-deception, we become frightened and cannot bear ourselves. We would like to flee from all the wretchedness, ugliness, and evil that characterizes us.Yet man is always aware that this destiny ought not to be. A thousand times he has tried to free himself, but he has never succeeded. Should he succeed in escaping from one aspect, it is only to become more deeply enmeshed in another; the steel band that holds him is well forged and cannot be sprung. And yet, in spite of discouragement and despair, the consciousness is always there that he can be other than he is. Of course, such a change cannot come about from the world itself, but from beyond, from something called God.

So over and above the pleasure of being with my son my little trip also helped me realize how grateful I should be for getting to where I am when I've proven how good I am at flunking the simplest of life's tests. I'm truly grateful.

Link: http://www.cafepress.com/edification

Bruce Newman

rbnewman55@netzero.net