Sharing Something Deeper

Just a few months ago, I had a birthday. I threw myself a party, using the "another-year-older" excuse to have friends gather for coffee and conversation. So much of our life here is involved in an international crowd and it was a pleasure, a true treasure, to have a house full of folks from all over the world. Really, like my own little United Nations here at my house. People from a diversity of places and backgrounds laughing together, nibbling snacks, drinking coffee; every one of them here because of a connection or a friendship with little 'ol me. What's not to love about that?

Oh, and I have yet to mention that there were gifts too. So you can see why it was just as lovely a day as could be constructed for a girl who had now firmly entered her FORTIES. Among other things that day, I opened a lovely set of bath salts, which I have yet to use as my privacy comes at a premium with a four-year-old in the house; lots of flowers, including an entire basket of hyacinth bulbs which then brought me weeks of pleasure as they bloomed and scented the air with the amazing smell of spring; a hilarious over-the-top sequined cell phone holder, which sadly didn't last long against the whims of curious four-year-old fingertips; and then late in the day I opened this:

I know what you are thinking.

Actually I don't, but I will tell you what I thought when I saw it. Inside my head, there was a resounding 'HUH?' Which was quickly followed by 'what is that? What is it for? What am I supposed to do with it?' I am sure my face registered my confusion--lips pursed, eyes a little squinched--as my brain worked overtime to come up with an appropriate response to this odd gift. Thankfully, the gift givers rescued me before I had a chance to put my foot in my mouth making guesses as to why they gave me doll clothes, and shared with me what it is for. Maybe you already guessed that it is used to cover something like this:

And stands proudly looking like this:

But wait, there's more.

My friends shared with me that the Chinese characters you see embroidered onto the cloth are actually a poem. A famous poem about being far away from home, about homesickness, and about sharing the same moon no matter where we are on the planet, or how far away from our loved ones we are.

It was easily the most meaningful gift I received that day. And as I lovingly dressed the bottle I was once again struck by just how very much the same we all are. At least at our deepest parts. No matter where we come from or what brought us here, we all share the commonality that we are from SOMEWHERE ELSE. And that alone makes us a community.

So I have this perfect conversation piece reminder that as an outsider here, I belong. And besides, this piece makes for an ideal companion to the puppet Andrew made at playgroup. And when I can convince him that neither are playthings, they are displayed on the side bar, reminding me that this life is a good one. Something I surely should never forget.