Another Road Trip Inside

 Yesterday was a road day. To begin with, that morning I had an appointment on business.  Later that evening as I began to relax, my wife received a phone call from a family member informing her of their mother's recent hospitalization.  We simultaneously got dressed, got fed, texted my family members and solicited their prayers, and set our sights towards Mother.  (The rest is family business, but I will tell you that mother is doing better).
 After returning, I was somewhat wired, (as I always am after a road trip), but I forced myself to go to bed at 3:30 a.m.   When I awoke later that morning I was thankful that I had the will to get up and become involved in my family's beginning of the morning.  My life is being filled with people who were once lost to me. I treasure and appreciate the opportunities I have been given.
 I have come out of my African Room to sit on my porch (Yes Victor, The Porch).  My front porch, as well as every other room in my home, was recently transformed into a reservoir of laughter, singing, jokes and old stories from my eldest brothers, Junior and Alfred.  (All of my older siblings carry the history of my family of origin in their heads).  The holiday weekend we had just shared was one filled with priceless memories.  No camera could photograph the love and the joy and the thanksgiving we all felt as we congregated with  one another.  
 Let me describe my feelings this morning, (to those of you who are stuck behind some desk or are not able to do what their hearts yearn to do daily):

The air is full of frangrace
The sun is bright
a cool breeze blows continuously
A landscaper's tools buzz in the distance on a nearby lawn
And I feel contentment.

  I am most thankful to God to have been blessed to see my siblings again, as well as so many friends and extended family.  Of course, everyone; from both sides was not there.  We have a large family and people have their own personal reason as to why they cannot attend some events.  I'm not mad at them.  It's a definite right that we all have and it would be a more powerful right if we all realized it.
I believe that next year will be even more memorable.  For many years the only situation that brought the Fayetteville Spain Family together was a funeral.  We had witnessed the unexpected death of my mother first; years later it was my father.  (There is so much that comes afterwards that it cannot be written on paper).   I do believe that our recent gathering was one that will become an annual tradition.
 If you find the time today I ask that you do this one thing for me; Take a few minutes to look around yourself. Notice only the people and nothing else.  Can you find some type of common ground with all of them?  (if you are alone, simply imagine a person(s) and go there).  We all have much more in common than we think we do.  If we could only get past appearances.
I pray your day is blessed,
I love you all,
Dennis