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Surreal Moments
by Melissa Martin Introduction: Moments. Fleeting seconds that burst forth, jam-packed with a lifetime of meaning; brief stirrings of emotional connectivity to familiar strangers and acquaintances. Instant snapshots of personal tragedies and triumphs etched upon my heart and soul. I savor these awe-filled capsules of oneness with humanity and store them in my memory. The following petite vignettes are factual in detail. My desire is to capture the salient essence of these epigrammatic events and share them with (you) the reader. Perhaps, these mini nonfiction stories will tug on your heartstrings and elicit an emotional response or abet reflective thinking. Maybe you've experienced similar surreal moments and memories as well. Driving past the cemetery on my commute to work, I glimpse a gray-haired gentleman at the monument company across the street. Hunched over, he is starring at a large colored tombstone. He is shopping for a grave marker. For just a few seconds, I embraced his pain of loss. Luck. Fate. Happenstance. As I'm driving, I witness a car that pulls out and crosses two lanes of traffic. An almost accident as two cars barely miss ramming the speedy vehicle. I embraced guardian angels. I take frequent walks in the cemetery nearby to my house. The decorated graves of deceased children always grab my attention; angel and teddy bear statues, figurines of lambs, and infant ornaments. Being a mother, I try to embrace their grief but I cannot fathom it. Instead, I embraced the precious gift of life via my daughter. I attended a conference in Atlanta, Georgia, and decided to take a walk in the small nearby park. Giggling children splashed and played in the fountain of intermittent spouting water; both White children and Black children. I embraced the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have a Dream. Hurry. Hurry. Hurry. I rush into the General Dollar store to purchase some items that I think I can't live without. The cashier appears somewhat sad, so I strike up a conversation. She was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I slow down and listen to her story. I embraced my health. Life is composed of surreal moments. Melissa writes about the God and human connection and condition. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |