Friend Wind
Posted: October 11, 2006

After the visit to the zoo, we parked ourselves at a Washington Park picnic table across from Chico’s Tacos to which Ernie and our son, Peter, had walked to purchase lunch.

My daughter-in-law, Courtney, and I played with the grandkids: Ashleigh and the twins, Nathan and Seth, on the playground equipment while waiting the fine cuisine of Chico’s Tacos.

What a glorious day of perfect weather and timed breezes; blowing yellowed autumn leaves from trees and picking up leaves that were already on the ground: blowing them across the green picnic lawn.

After we had enjoyed the famous tacos that Peter had been so craving, a breeze whipped up really strong; pummeling a yellow wind straight into our faces, and the kids began screaming “top-of-lung” screams. I was at first startled at the loudness, until I realized they were screaming in joyful delight at the wind and leaves swirling and stirring and blowing about their honey blonde curls. They screamed so loudly! On and on they went, giving competition to the wind’s own screams! It made us all laugh and scream ourselves at the sheer delight of it all. Child and adult; adult and child; child and child screaming and laughing, laughing raucous laughter as Friend Wind tickled and tickled us…tickled our innocence and wonderment at nature, and freedom and joy.

I’ll always remember that very wind and those innocent, laughing faces with leaves flying about them. And if I’d had a camera that day, I would’ve captured that moment when seven hearts laughed with Friend Wind as he tickled the day…and I’d hang that picture on the wall over my recliner, next to the cross.

-Linda