CHITOWN or Bust
I sit at the computer in my brother Mark's House in Oak Park, Illinois a northern suburb of Chicago. I am moved by the lives that each one of us descendants of John Henry Hodes have all created for our selves in this country since coming four generations ago from Germany. We stand, or in this case lay, on the shoulders of our forefathers. Mark's life takes the form of a householder, whose wife works for the Chicago Homeless Coalition. Their fundraiser with headliner Patti Smith is what has brought me to ChiTown, that and the repair of a broken promise made to my daughter Hattie a year ago. Mark and Patti's house is in the neighborhood where Frank Lloyd Wright made his architectural mark. It is filled with the mark, pardon the pun, of love, three beautiful children and the sweetest dog in the world, KC the namesake of our hometown.
Last night right before bed, this familial manifestation took the form of Mark cuddling his wife on a full bed. On it were, my teenage niece, who I had discovered minutes earlier getting her hair braided by her mother. Patti, my sister in law, was emanating one more amazing aspect or her self, as she was pampering her teenage daughter because she had been reporting not feeling well, sore throat, low energy, lungs. Seeing the love, I began giving foot rubs, and responding to the questions about the new woman in my life. I began to tell the story about how I met JoAnne whose name comes across my phone..Lovely JoAnne when she calls.
Soon my very specific 10 year old niece showed up finding the perfect spot to be snuggled by her mom and touched by her dad. As I began to share a story about how JoAnne and I met at an Adyashanti satsang, my very specific niece was asserting her needs by guiding my brother's hand to the exact way that would feel best to her for him to touch her. I explained how JoAnne and I spent 15 months only talking on the phone, despite the fact that for large chunks of that time, she and her 9 year old and 6 year old son lived a 20 minute drive from my house. Around this time, my 13 year old nephew who had been watching the Olympics, found a spot in the bed.
As I moved to the part of the story about when I did finally lay eyes on JoAnne after 15 months and in that seeing her, how the words Lovely JoAnne filtered into my being...and then became more like a mantra in the background of our conversation about all things and no thing..., I realized that Hattie was the only one not on the bed. I asked my wide open, blue eyed, somewhat quiet, nephew to go tell Hattie what was going on.
Ryan became the emissary of change. On the way to the airport 12 hours earlier, Hattie had shared with me through tears and suffering, "Don't you know how hard it is to have your family destroyed, because your Mom and Dad are divorced.....don't you get it Dad!!!!!" tears, sad face, crying, broken heart, me saying softly, "I hear you, I hear you....I am full of sorrow about how hard this has all been for you....." And now, he invited her to join the family on the bed a picture that must have looked much like the one that she and I drew as we ate lunch at the airport. A family picture that included Mom, Dad, Hattie, Scarlett and Chip. Each figure a stick figure with hearts emanating rays of love.
And when she got to the door and saw me talking and them listening, she said "you must be talking about how you and JoAnne met.." and then she joined me in the telling.
Last night right before bed, this familial manifestation took the form of Mark cuddling his wife on a full bed. On it were, my teenage niece, who I had discovered minutes earlier getting her hair braided by her mother. Patti, my sister in law, was emanating one more amazing aspect or her self, as she was pampering her teenage daughter because she had been reporting not feeling well, sore throat, low energy, lungs. Seeing the love, I began giving foot rubs, and responding to the questions about the new woman in my life. I began to tell the story about how I met JoAnne whose name comes across my phone..Lovely JoAnne when she calls.
Soon my very specific 10 year old niece showed up finding the perfect spot to be snuggled by her mom and touched by her dad. As I began to share a story about how JoAnne and I met at an Adyashanti satsang, my very specific niece was asserting her needs by guiding my brother's hand to the exact way that would feel best to her for him to touch her. I explained how JoAnne and I spent 15 months only talking on the phone, despite the fact that for large chunks of that time, she and her 9 year old and 6 year old son lived a 20 minute drive from my house. Around this time, my 13 year old nephew who had been watching the Olympics, found a spot in the bed.
As I moved to the part of the story about when I did finally lay eyes on JoAnne after 15 months and in that seeing her, how the words Lovely JoAnne filtered into my being...and then became more like a mantra in the background of our conversation about all things and no thing..., I realized that Hattie was the only one not on the bed. I asked my wide open, blue eyed, somewhat quiet, nephew to go tell Hattie what was going on.
Ryan became the emissary of change. On the way to the airport 12 hours earlier, Hattie had shared with me through tears and suffering, "Don't you know how hard it is to have your family destroyed, because your Mom and Dad are divorced.....don't you get it Dad!!!!!" tears, sad face, crying, broken heart, me saying softly, "I hear you, I hear you....I am full of sorrow about how hard this has all been for you....." And now, he invited her to join the family on the bed a picture that must have looked much like the one that she and I drew as we ate lunch at the airport. A family picture that included Mom, Dad, Hattie, Scarlett and Chip. Each figure a stick figure with hearts emanating rays of love.
And when she got to the door and saw me talking and them listening, she said "you must be talking about how you and JoAnne met.." and then she joined me in the telling.
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