Tonight was the 30th National Night Out and I celebrated it by going out! After walking around Scotch Plains, I drove over to Westfield to enjoy some music on the streets. The VooDudes were playing at the train station, so I joined the crowd and thoroughly enjoyed the music. The lead singer wore a kind of washboard and played it right on his chest! The music had a great beat! One young mother bounced her child to the music as she held him in her arms. I thought he was about 3 years old, but found out he was 6! I imagined him 15 years from now, possibly going off to war.
As I glanced over the crowd I thought of a quote from Grandma's on the Camino:
Engrave this upon my heart: "There isn't anyone you couldn't love once you've heard their story." (Anonymous)
I began to see the people with new eyes, wondering who in the audience was unemployed? How many enjoyed their jobs? What deep concerns did they hold in their anxious hearts? For just a little while, perhaps this free, joyful concert distracted them enough to alleviate some of their stress. If we only knew their stories...
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