An atheist and a Christian walk into a bar...
I recently hired a lovely young woman, Alana, to help me care for my mom. She's 22 years old, her legs are approximately as long as I am tall, she has a sunny disposition, she leaves lights on all over the house, she eats all day and remains svelte, she loves to belch, and she is an avowed super-Christian. I love her.
This young lady is so confident in her beliefs and unconcerned that she is exuberantly proselytizing to an atheist that it is entertaining to experience. Futile, but entertaining nonetheless. Her positive attitude, on the other hand, is contagious and I am thoroughly enjoying the optimism that swirls around me. I have been told by multiple sources, although I'm not sure those sources are dependable, that I have a small penchant for impulsively temperamental behavior. Not only am I less inclined to feel vexed when I'm around her, I also try my best not to cuss in front of her, which is really fucking hard.
Alana has been a godsend (pun intended) for me as I can now take care of things that require me to leave my mom's sight. Mom believes she can do what she clearly cannot, which the bruises all over her can attest to. As soon as I look away from her, she instantly decides she belongs in Cirque de Soleil. A few days ago, she shimmied her way out the bottom of the bed because I had blocked the side, believing that was enough to keep her in. Silly me. It's been both overwhelmingly frustrating and terrifying. With Alana here, I can not only leave the room, I can do so with certainty that mom will be cared for, treated kindly, and won't attempt moves even Simone Biles can't perform.
Another bonus with Alana- so many peculiar coincidences have been occurring since she came into mom's and my life. It reminds me of an excerpt from the novel, The Celestine Prophecy-"Coincidences are happening more and more frequently and when they do, they strike us as beyond what would be expected by pure chance. They feel destined, as though our lives had been guided by some unexplained force. The experience induces a feeling of mystery and excitement and, as a result, we feel more alive." This is a perfect explanation for the serendipitous occurrences swirling about us. Alana would say god is responsible. I say it's the ultimate harmony of nature and the energy force derived from it. As The Police (the band, not law enforcement) would say, it's synchronicity.
Together, we are sowing the seeds of an unlikely friendship; Christian/atheist, young/less young, tall and willowy/short and stubby, wildly optimistic/less than enthusiastic, avoids sinful behavior/actively seeks it...contrasting mindsets coming together to hopefully learn from each other. I am interested to see how the future blooms before us all.
Tears For Fears sowing some seeds and sounding a bit like The Beatles-
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