Not a great day today.... No, the details don't really matter. The day just had no soul, no energy, no life. It seemed all to happen around me, as if I wasn't really there, rather more like I was a phantom bystander, watching things happen around me but involved.... I know I did stuff....but have no idea what. I think I ate, yeah, a piece of pizza from Harmons. I know I went with friends, but have no idea what we talked about. I had meetings all day long but have no idea what they were about....I
didn't laugh, didn't cry, I mostly was invisibly 'there'.
I had a late meeting until 7pm... afterwards I drove a friend home. First time with him.... Very good guy.
....this is where everything changed......
He gets a call on his iphone while en route home. He answers it.... facetime... So I get to hear! (Yeah!) It is his 9 year old daughter who lives in another state with her Mom....yeah, they split a while back.
They begin the most simple but beautiful exchange through this incredible technology. She is full of little girl energy....the kind that can't seem to get all the words out fast enough... she asks a bunch of questions which he methodically and patiently answers... She asks him if she has shown him her new school back pack? No.... so she makes sure he sees it. She notices that it is still "light" outside and exclaims that is so cool because where she lives it is all dark! She giggles at that.... so fun. She has this totally fun voice that was so articulate and cute.
Then she goes: "Hey Dad, have you seen my violin?" "No...show me!" She pulls it out and then says she is going to play for him so he can hear. She warns him that it might not sound so great cause she is just beginning.... He tells her that is ok. She starts playing a couple of scales and then stops. It doesn't sound too bad after all... He asks her what song that was.... She laughs "oh Dad!, That isn't a song silly." He tells her it sounds beautiful! That he cannot wait until she plays many songs that he can listen to. She then goes into showing him the resin that she uses for the bow and explains it in detail, why it looks the way it does, what it is supposed to do etc...." Like a little technician explaining something very technically important.
He asks her if it is bedtime....she announces that it isn't, but that she is cleaning her room before bed. He tells her that he will call in just a few minutes as we were arriving home.
She tells him "sure" and then ends with a very upbeat "Love you Dad!" He acknowledges back and ends the call.....Then tells me how infrequent that actually happens.....
During the call I found my smile... it came... it found me I guess, almost immediately....not sure from where... but somewhere during that magical phone call, the world became right again, the stars aligned, the important things were identified, things were said that needed to be said and violins that needed to play beautiful notes were played.... Most importantly that familiar lump found its way to my throat. I felt the absolute awesome beauty of this simple exchange between a Father and his far away daughter. Many emotions came as I put myself in his shoes.... oh! Wow. Knowing she was so close.... but not enough to hug that night before bed.
Let's just say this experienced lingered for me....I got home and quickly hugged everyone of my kids a little big harder and longer, as if it would count just a little bit extra for my friend and his daughter....
....... yeah, pretty great day....
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