Reynolds 07/13/01

Subject:  Reynolds
Date:  June 13. 2001

It was several days ago that I talked about what an emotional roller-
coaster last Saturday way.   Car problems (it turned out to be the altern-
ator (a $275.00 repair) were the down swing.   Having my older grandson
here for an overnight stay was the UP swing.

Was it Friday that Reynolds called to see if he could camp out in the den
on his way from North Carolina to the Patterson summer compound in
Maine?  With such short notice, there was no time to fuss over or try to
gussy up the house, which was surprisingly freeing - there was only
enough time to look forward to his visit. 

I expected his stay to be special, but it turned out that the time was a
genuine godsend.

This woofy grey head cannot remember if Reynolds was here when Elsa
called about problems with Little Silver (her car), but he was certainly here
soon after.   

What a blessing it was to have someone here with me during what would
have been an dreadful time.   I did not obsess about the "kids" stranded in
Lancaster, nor with Reynolds a comforting hug away.

He looks marvelous, a golden young man, from his tan to his hair and his
spirit. It seemed like I could not get enough of looking at him.  

It seems such a short time ago that he was skateboarding on the driveway
at Woodland Road, just a short time ago that I was visiting at the Berwyn
Road house making the children chocolate chip cookies.  

We had a remarkable, emotional visit. We talked a little bit about his recent

visit to Costa Rica, but mostly I remember how we prayed together and how
he prayed over my poor beat up wrist, my legs and my head.  It was a dif- 

ferent experience than anything I remember having experienced befpre.  The
bit of me that felt somewhat odd ~ it was so different from anything in my
background ~ was dwarfed by feeling grateful and proud to have such a tender,
caring, Christ-centered young man in my life.  

It was a certifiable blessing that of all the weekends he could have dropped by,
he came on the weekend I most needed his presence so much.   

Accident?   Happenstance?  I do not think so - Godsend, I think, not just a
phrase in this case.

That night, tuckered out from the day's misadventures, I went to bed fairly
early (for me), around 10:00 p.m.   It was lovely to be stretched out in bed and
hear the sounds of conversation from the living room, where Reynolds and Elsa
spoke together for some time.   I know how Elsa feels about young people and
about family, so I knew how happy she was.  

When I talked to her the next day, she told me that although she and Reynolds
did not agree about certain key basics of religion, some of Reynolds' observations
had given her different insights into some key beliefs in her life.

When I got up in the morning, Reynolds had flown.  In spite of a long tiring drive
up to Pennsylvania from North Carolina just the day before - with a stop in Virginia
to visit his sister - he was still up and out the door by 6:00 a.m., meeting his Dad
for a dawn's early light breakfast.  Oh, for the energy of youth!!   

Even now, I occasionally look at the chair that is sort of catty-corner to mine and
think, "Reynolds was sitting there."  That lovely thought and lovely memories wrap
me in an embrace.  

Love to you all - Reynolds' Gocky