A few wonderful things happened this weekend.
My brother graduated from Miami University in a red-capped ceremony surrounded by bleachers of hollerin' people. I felt proud to be witness to my brother's accomplishments and proud to share it with my happy, little family. A day later I can still feel how special that day was. My family was together, dad included, in a peaceful and harmonious way and it felt honest and pure and like how a family is supposed to feel.
Hugh also happened this weekend. Hugh, a retired Miami teacher and acquaintance of my brother's from Kofenya*, insisted upon taking photos to commemorate Nate's graduate moment and that he did. Hugh took a lot of pictures. Hugh did this just because. Just because he enjoys Nathan as a person. And because he feels the need to do good things for good people; that is what gets him up in the morning.
I really haven't come across people like Hugh too often. I don't think many people do this in the iPhone era. It made me feel weird, to be honest. To witness something so simple and sweet as doing an exceptionally great thing for someone without a thought towards how it will benefit you. It made me want to understand it, to dissect it, to discuss it. It made me feel not enough, like in a beautiful kinetic motion sort of way. Like there are tremendous things inside me coiled like springs, waiting to propel forward in the name of bettering lives because that is what people should do. Good things.
This morning we ran into Hugh at Kofenya picture envelopes in tow. Envelopes full of the most beautiful pictures I've ever seen of my family. And we all sat and drank coffee, chatting away while looking through picture after picture of my favorite smiling faces as Hugh made sure we knew how to find each print on the disks he included.
It was another wonderful thing and it was a great mother's day gift to boot. Past years we've spent Mother's Day presenting brunch and mimosas to my momma and having planned plans. But this Mother's Day will go down in the books. No plans were made, just the intent to drive back from Miami, but one gesture from a stranger made it notable, impactful and I appreciate that altruism.
This world is sated with malevolence, but it makes me feel a little more secure, a little more unburdened to know that there are people still exercising their humanity.
It is a beautiful life.
*A local Miami of Ohio coffee shop.
This was a superb and whirlwind weekend, and yes, it is very fulfilling to look at laughing and smiling pictures of a complete family. Folks like Hugh, and my friend Martha really make us more determined to charge into the world each day in hopes of bringing smiles to people's faces.
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