Follow the yellow brick road...

She has been my friend for nearly thirty years and is old enough to be my mother. I was gathered in and gathered up by her outstretched arms of love as a young mother. She has known me at my best and my worst and neither seems to matter much in her unfailing faith in me. I sat at her table yesterday, as I have sat at her tables for years, eating lunch with two women I did not know who have also been gathered up by her. As I sat and let the conversation and good food settle my soul, soothe the frizzy nerve endings, I once again said to myself, I want to be more like Celeste. Here are some of the lessons I have learned from her.
Follow the yellow brick road... Celeste has the gift for following the yellow brick road wherever it leads. She heard about the death of a famous musician in our community, researched his contributions to the world of music, went to his memorial service at a local club, heard another young band playing, came to our son’s wedding and met one of the band members who was our son’s best friend, and is now the oldest, most enthusiastic fan of Tubab Crew, a band that specializes in West African music. You can see her at the concerts in the front row, dancing to the music. With her, one thing or person always leads to another experience or a new friend. The yellow brick road is full of possibilities for her.
Wipe out the six degrees of separation... Celeste connects people like the connect the dots pictures. No telling how many people, how many different kinds of people, consider Celeste their particular friend. She is equally at home with mountain grannies and grand dames, people of faith and those with not much faith, preachers and farmers and musicians and models, local yokels and citizens of the world beyond, all are kin to her and she is kin to them. We sit at her table, eating food prepared with loving care, drawn in by the strong ties that bind us to her and through her, to each other... family reunion with kin we have just met.
Walk on the sunny side of life... Celeste has had her share of life struggles and in the living of them manages to find celebration possibilities. Driving her husband to dialysis as his kidneys fail is transformed by making friends with another couple at the center, driving to dialysis together in a convertible with the top down, laughter and joy in the midst of pain and loss. As a teacher in her early life, being a learner is important to her. She finds ways to learn new skills... storytelling, creative clothes making, computer programs... and is surrounded by the gifts of her hands and gifts from others. As her body shrinks in size, her capacity for enjoying life expands and it is a pure pleasure to be a part of her joyful expansion.
Like the Artful Dodger Apostle Paul, Celeste has learned how to be more than content with all of life’s circumstances. Love matters more than being right. Staying in touch is more important than being proper. Adventure is always around the corner. Never pass up a chance to party. God is always closer to you than you think. Thanks, Celeste. I’ll be proud to help Mary serve champagne at your last party. I’ll call you when I get back from my niece’s wedding and we’ll have a tea party. Love you...