Have you ever been in a real life scene that takes on otherworldly proportions because of its simplicity and beauty? The other day, I beheld something so lovely music should have been pouring over it to preserve it like this scene from The Fisher King.

It could have been choreographed;

it could have been a dance

of intricate steps and weaves

and passes – pulled up close

then spun away. It was just

the grocery store after work.

 

Busy people – every lane full,

and no children crying,

no one huffing or distracted.

It was a symphony.

It was precision of checkers

and customers, big brothers

looking out for little brothers,

kids helping parents bag

produce. It was connection

and eye contact and small

pleasantries and people

working together.

 

It was a brilliant smile on a woman

as she joked with her cashier.

It was a renewed sense of faith

in humanity. There was no outrage

over politics, no seeing “Others”

as dangerous. It was busy

and humming along with

cordial strangers and a toy dropped

by a baby and picked up and

replaced by a hand that felt

the need. It was ordinary people

being extraordinary. It was a full feeling

of all is right with the world

in this tiny, precious moment.

 

It was people dressed for work

and going home as if they had

something waiting there for them:

a child to hug, a partner to enjoy,

a show to watch, a walk in the garden,

a long view from the back porch.

It was life and I got to feel it being

lovely.

 

It wrapped me up in warm thoughts

and tucked me in and

kissed my forehead.