We all know and have been told since we were children that Hollywood is not real. (the movie side of it anyway) Those romantic fairy tales, magical reunions and happy endings....they are our idealized versions of real life. Well, I have been a firm believer in that outlook....until this last Saturday afternoon when something magical and purely Hollywood happened to me. I know what you cynics are thinking because until recently I have been one of you, but perfect moments do exist. Let me share one of mine with you.
I have a dear family in Colorado who I love with all of my heart. Even into the tiny nooks and cracks and crannies that are usually reserved for dust and cobwebs. My love for them is so great it spills over into every available space inside me. I call them my Hedrickites. I love each of them dearly and individually for the incredible loving and God fearing people they are and I love none more than the other. But the littlest Hedrick and I have always had a very close bond. She is my Meah and she is the spunky, stubborn, loving, courageous and shy ray of sunlight I hope to be someday. When I am feeling timid or unsure about stepping out into something new I think to myself, "Meah would be brave and try it." and I go for it.
I have not seen my Hedrickites in nine loooooonnnng months and I have been feeling it like an ache somewhere inside me that cannot be comforted. When I learned they would be camping at the ranch in Heber with us this last weekend I began counting down the days. Three weeks then two weeks then five days then two days then TODAY!!!! They got to the ranch on Friday night, but because of work I could not travel up until Saturday morning.
I woke up aching to jump in the car and drive like the wind on an open plain. Too bad packing had to be done. Finally we were on the road and heading to the wilderness and closer to my Hedrickites and my Meah. As we drove the too familiar road from Phoenix to Heber my memory started playing old reels of family trips up to camp. My first trip camping with them when as we drove through the pines up the mountains listening to an Italian aria by Josh Groban little 5yr old Cody out of nowhere burst out with, "This is so beautiful...it's all so beautiful." The time when Trav and I got to ride up the ranch road being towed in the Bronco by his dad while we pretended to race up the mountainside at breakneck speeds. The first trip with Meah when she was still an infant and I spent an entire church service walking up and down the campsite with her as she cried in my arms....and the perfect moment when she relaxed and trusted me enough to fall asleep in my arms.
By the time we got into Payson (just about 30min or so from the ranch) my emotions became near overwhelming as I began to tear up at the thought of being so close to holding each of them in my arms. It took all of my will power not to allow tears to flow freely down my face. Instead I chided myself for being so weepy and stopped allowing myself to remember family trips.
I don't know what kind of reunion I was expecting as I made the final turn into the ranch, but it was not the amazing reunion that occurred.
You know in those movies when people have been separated and as they see each other the world stops and they dramatically run toward each other yelling the other persons name until they collide into an embrace of perfect happiness? Yep....that happened, no lie. There were witnesses.
As my car came into view I spied my Meah playing on the hay wagon, her fiery red hair all glowing in the sunlight. She looked up and as soon as she saw it was my car she began screaming my name and running toward the vehicle. What else could I do? My car immediately went into park and I jumped out yelling her name and running to her across the small expanse of the meadow we were camping in. I know there were others around us...I remember other human forms being there....but I cannot tell you who they were. I only remember seeing my Meah in all of her grown up eight years leaping into my arms as we shared the best hug ever.
You know, come to think of it.....it was way better than anything in a movie. Movies can't come close to the perfect joy and love that exploded onto that field. I challenge Hollywood to come up with anything that pure and happy and perfect. Real life is so much better than movies.
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