Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Savoring a Wednesday

Note: Please pray for Texas and a weakening of Hurricane Ike!

I wish you could see what I’m seeing. Today I’m sitting at a little table with my laptop, working on my book. This time I’m inside a Starbucks; this one is inside a Barnes and Nobel. My table is tucked in the corner by the big picture window that looks out onto the sidewalk. Between paragraphs or streams of thought, I look up and gaze outside as I think.

It rained this morning, and looks like it just might again in the next hour.

A moment ago I looked up and noticed a young, twenty-something couple outside. She’s wearing a blue jean skirt, and a short-sleeved twin-set, small rimmed glasses, and flip flops. She’s pretty, but she wouldn’t normally turn your head. Her long brown hair lifts from the middle of her back to blow in the wind. He is about her same height, maybe a couple inches taller. He’s in brown slacks and a causal short-sleeve button-down. His looks seem to match hers.

They were walking along towards the Starbucks when they stopped on the sidewalk and turned to each other. Something was said, one of them smiled, and I wondered if they were in love. Their arms raised at the same time as if they were going to hug. Her hands stopped and rested on his shoulders, elbows slightly bent. His hands stopped and rested on either side of her waist. They stood still a second looking at each other, and then down at their feet.

No sooner than I could think, “that looks like a dance hold,” they began to move. With jerky, slightly unsure steps, they began to travel in unison:



Forward, Side, Back, Side


Forward, Side, Back, Side


They were dancing a box step in the courtyard right outside of Starbucks – just as I wanted to do on Monday evening in my last post! They've put the biggest smile on my face.


There is no sunshine out today, and no moon shining either – only cloudy grey skies in the middle of a Wednesday afternoon. Yet this couple is savoring the day – and I’m savoring watching them.

After a few minutes, the rain started back up and the couple dashed for cover out of sight. But their dance will continue because I will think of them later when I meet up with my 7 year-old son and ask him to dance with me in the kitchen. I will think of them this evening when I’m on the elliptical machine with dance music filling my ears through my I-Pod. And I will think of them at the end of the day when I curl up with my husband.

Can you tell that I’ve secretly always wanted to live in a musical?!

22 comments:

  1. What a sweet visual! Thanks for sharing! It made me smile!

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  2. You painted this picture so perfect I felt I was sitting right next to you. Years back when I took an English class one of our assignments was an observation writing. I chose to go to B&N and I went with the thought of how bored I was going to be. I was amazed at all that I saw in an hour. And to have to observe so closely to detail was a blast.
    Have fun dancin' tonight! :)
    Blessings,
    Lelia

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  3. You definitely have a writer's heart and ability to visualize what the couple were doing. It's almost like God was putting His stamp on the thoughts you had Monday about the dancing.

    For those who read this comment I put a prayer request on your post you did on Monday.
    May God continue to bless you,
    AliceE.

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  4. Back and forth
    Forward and Backward

    Love it!! I was moving along as I was reading!

    What talent!

    Blessings,
    LaTonya

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  5. Thank you Rachel,
    I really appreciate your prayers.
    AliceE.

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  6. wow, what a beautiful picture! i have never danced in the rain... im so worried about my hair getting wet and turning frizzy! wow. i need to learn to capture the day, plus who care what my hair looks like! right?

    blessings ~

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  7. Rachel,
    Thank you so much for your kind words! I never expected you to visit my blog! You're like a celebrity to me! I got involved in your Bible study early on and it was sooooo what I needed! Since, I've been really working on making time daily to read and talk with the Lord. Now, I'm not there yet, but I am soooo much better than I was say a year ago. I just wanted to thank you for stopping by my place! And of all times for you to visit I had my mouth wide open in all those pictures! Hey, we had fun and that's what it's about right? Have a great rest of the week! We're going to try and stay dry and away from Hurricane Ike! We live in North East Tx so surely we'll only get rain...I hope!

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  8. I caught up with all of the comments from the last posting and then read the one from yesterday. Immediately afterward I turned to my daily devotions and the first verse I read was 1 Thessalonians 3:8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. It certainly seemed to go with the theme.

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  9. Rachel,
    I love to "people watch" and when you catch a special little moment like that it is priceless!!

    Thanks for visiting my blog. Because my boys haven't started back to school, I have been a real cranky pants. I am going to take your advice and try to savor some of these moments. With all of this time off, I am sure that their holiday breaks will be cut short and there will not be as much time to share with them then. So....what to do with 2 teenage boys without breaking the bank....hmmmmm...I will have to think about that one.

    Thanks for your encouraging words.

    Kim from PA

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  10. I just came back today, after a long while away. What fun to read your comments. I'm not a dancer, but enjoy so much watching others enjoy themselves—in so many different ways! God bless you!

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  11. What a sweet story and experience. Don't you just love those 'smile' moments?

    Blessings,
    Pearls

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  12. Hey Rachel, Just wanted you to know I received the nicest surprise in the mail today! I opened a box with "God's Purpose for Every Woman" in it! I forgot I joined this book club thing and so it was a very pleasant homecoming today! ;)
    Can't wait to dive into it.
    Blessings,
    Lelia
    P.S. Thanks for your visit yesterday and sweet comment. Funny what God allows us to experience. That will definitely be something my husband will never forget.

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  13. Oh, Rachel! What a precious moment--for them and for you! SO glad that you take the time to people watch! I'm one of those people you see flying by--who is usually late for something! When I have time, I am going to go some place and sit--besides carpool line--and just take it in!
    Love ya,
    Susan

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  14. If only more of us would dance, what a great story to share. There is a song Dance with me- I have it on a Cd in my car- I will have to get the name and singer for you.

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  15. Oh, Rachel...you described that so well...I felt like I was right there with you! I even smell the coffee brewing!

    Savor indeed! How beautiful!

    Praying for Texas and everyone in Ike's path. (My brother and his family live in Dallas, which usually misses the brunt.)

    May God's mercy and grace go forth.

    Warm blesesings,
    Sharon :)

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  16. That is so sweet!
    Much love,
    Angela

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  17. Rachel,
    What a wonderful story, thanks for sharing through your eyes, you are an awsome writer.....

    Love you girl.
    Cris

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  18. Just wanted to thank everyone who prayed for our niece's 13 year old daughter who had heart surgery yesterday. It was more involved than they thought but everything went smoothly. They took her off the respirator last night and today she is in a regular room. Her dad called and said if we were coming down that she was asking for a Chick-fil-let with waffle fries. Of course my husband has gone to take it to her. God is so good and I feel so blessed by all the support and prayers from everyone.
    God bless all of you,
    AliceE.

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  19. Great image, I love to people watch too. A friend of mine really gets into it and makes up names and biographies for the people she is watching as that moment in time.
    I just wanted to share with you that last week after posting my prayer request for not liking the situation I'm in as care-taker, I read a story out of "Heart of a Mother" that helped me realize that obedience to God's word 'counts' even if we don't like what we're told and feel like having a tantrum once in a while. Just like when we tell our kids to do something they don't want to, but they do it anyway. We are happy for their obedience. I'm sure it is better with a good attitude along with obedience, but sometimes that is really hard, and obedience is all that's possible at that time. Anyway, thanks for your prayers. I know I need God's strength and perseverence because I can't leave when my shift is over, it doesn't end...My mother-in-law lives with us and often my husband travels and was gone last week when I felt so bad. Rachel, thanks for the reminder of living and cherishing each moment.
    Kim

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  20. I don't know if anybody read my post on the previous post by Rachel, but today is my birthday, and I am SO blessed to be alive and praising God for the 36 years He has given me! He is so GOOD!
    Kelly T

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  21. First time I visited your page...will most likely be back. Loved it!!!!

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