When she first met Jim, my mom was amused. His kid-next-door familiarity was entertaining. As we got more serious, she became concerned. Jim seemed a bit unconventional. He first arrived at my traditional family home wearing peg leg seersucker pants and "monkey socks." My mom, never afraid to speak her mind, and always diplomatic (however thinly veiled), inquired, "So...Jim....tell me about those pants. Are they something new I should know about?" He unabashedly told her how it was a skateboard fashion and he had pegged them himself on his mom's sewing machine. To which she replied, "Uhuhah...so you sew, do you?"When we decided to marry, my mom articulated her concern to me with a visual,"I am just worried that one day you'll live in a nice neighborhood and Jim will want to paint the picket fence purple or something, just to be different." At the time, I thought that would be cool and proceeded undaunted. We obviously married and Jim has aged nicely, like a fine wine gaining complexity and a smooth finish.
Jim hasn't lost his creativity or willingness to take risks. Several summers ago, we gave ourselves an ocean friendly facelift by re-landscaping the front yard with native, drought tolerant plants. It is now a dense jungle of succulents and grasses. We love it all year, with the possible exception at Christmas, because it is virtually impossible to hang outdoor lights on lavender and flax. Turns out the yard saves on water and our electric bill! No problem (see photo at right). Always the innovator, it didn't occur to Jim to put them on the house--already been done! I am just praying he is home when the police knock at the door to remind us the street sign is public property. Once a skateboarder always a skateboarder.Twenty five years have passed, my mom and Jim have grown to appreciate each other for their uniqueness. What they do have in common is a certain boldness! This Christmas, I guess I will have to admit though, "she was right."
Umm...Jesus is the light of the world. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine? This is holy ground, a burning bush? Help me out here, how many days are left in December?
photo credit: www.toystoreinc.com
