Steve Summited Kili

Good morning…

Waking early, I took time to process myself by writing yesterday’s blog, Steve Is In Africa. In retrospect, I realize now that the post expressed the tip top of my emotions. Hope. Connection. Optimism. I had not heard the voice of my husband Steve for nearly a week as he led his first Lovett Expeditions trip to hike Kilimanjaro. Soon I would learn, a mountain of feelings lived beneath my surface.

I went to our PAWkids therapeutic group, a weekly gathering of men and women, young and old, black and white. The therapist Christie, who guides our weekly time, shared this wise Henri Nouwen quote: “The primary quality of community is a deep sense of being gathered by God.” We felt this truth resonating in our bones, as God gathered us at the wooden table in the Grove Park neighborhood of downtown Atlanta.

Christie taught us about companioning plants, unique plants planted together to thrive in the garden. Giving and receiving nourishment. Flourishing more. Together. “The corn supports the beans,” explained our handout. “The beans add nitrogen and the squash shades out the weeds.” Something more happens whenever we are together. We experience this truth in our group every week.

“What is the weather inside you like?” Christie asked us. Instinctively I circled on my paper the image of cloudy layers covering the beaming sun. Like sunshine and rain mix to create a rainbow, I was feeling happy to be with our group, calm as I peacefully painted, worried and scared about whether Steve would summit Kilimanjaro, sad that I live so far away from my aging parents, and loved, truly loved by so many wonderful people. It was if I had a bottleneck of colorful feelings I needed to grow through, freeing them to be released like gorgeous autumn leaves.

After all of us shared, we began to clean up. I looked at my phone, and a message came in from Steve to our Allen family text. I read Steve’s words aloud to our group: “Summited the mountain today. Totally kicked my butt. One more night of camping. Tomorrow I’ll be back in the hotel with shower, bed, and WiFi. Anyone who wants to come over on Sunday or next week, I’d love to share the stories.” I felt such joy sharing my genuine joy with our deeply caring community.

Then yesterday afternoon, Steve finally was able to call and we talked through all of his layers of emotions. He sent photos of his own new community formed with every hard step up the mammoth mountain. Men and women, young and old, black and white. What an unlikely collection of unique people brought together by the power of God.