Once There Was a Way to Get Back Homeward

When you're very young you don't realize when you're meeting super cool and real people that while everyone is lovely and one of God's children with their own set of unique talents and offerings, a lot of who you meet will not carry that bright light.  Oh they'll be cute or handsome, talented, funny or even fascinating but only some emanate that gorgeous glow through their minds eye and out their entire presence.  You know, The beautiful light.  The light that shines love and a deeper understanding of the world as one complete thing, nothing separated.  That sense that they know and make you remember that you also know a much grander meaning way down inside yourself somewhere.  That glow reminds you that beauty, the warmth of goodness and unconditional love is real. All the important stuff that we have to shove down into our mental pants like our shirts before tightening that ole' belt and getting on with our day.

I have a friend who is more than a friend, who is family.  He lives an amazing adventurous purposeful life that I can only imagine.  But he has his own struggles and challenges.  He is not mainlining his one dream vision like a celebrity, he's being thoughtful, sorting out and making sense of this life he was given, just like the rest of us.  He doesn't profess much or claim to hold any key answers.

He's the only person I've met that owns this light and yet seems to be so reluctant to carry it.  Almost like it's a weight.  Makes me like him even more!

He's been in France studying philosophy for 3 years and we were lucky enough to go grab some local fare at Black Forest Brooklyn Biergarten to celebrate his return.  I had Kässpätzle (*) Homemade German egg noodles, smoked slab bacon, shredded Emmentaler cheese, fresh nutmeg, sauteed onions & house salad, (order w or w/o bacon) .

P had Geflügelbratwurst hardwood smoked chicken sausage with shoestring fries and sauerkraut.

M had the Bauernmädchen* Sour cream, shredded spicy citrus kale, roasted pumpkin, cauliflower & toasted almonds

Starters, Brezel* Warm German soft pretzel, shaved salt & mustard & my favorite, ChampiGnons im Bierteig* Beer-battered, fried champignon mushrooms & aioli.

I savor these lit up souls now and even learned to recognize fleeting sparks in all of us sinners but I fear the flame is not eternal, on this earth anyway.