We Are Having a Baby!
Estimated reading time: 11 minutes, 30 seconds
“We are all concerned about making our neighborhood better” said Philip, the host, as the five of us sat at his dining room table and listened. As a community organizer, I often had meetings like this one, but we usually talked about specific ways to work together by now. But not tonight. “But how can the council,” Philip continued, “help us make that happen?” I looked around the table to see if anyone else was going to say anything but was met with silence.
“Reaching deep inside my soul, I responded, “The council only works on issues that our members want us to work on. If you join the council, your issues will be our issues. We are in this together, and only by working hand in hand can we achieve our goals. “Reaching deep inside my soul, I responded, “The council only works on issues that our members want us to work on. If you join the council, your issues will be our issues. We are in this together, and only by working hand in hand can we achieve our goals.”
I did not expect it would change the conversation, but it was my default closing.
After waiting a minute, I gathered my papers, stood up, and started shaking hands.
As I reached for my jacket, William spoke.
“Healthcare, especially for the mentally ill, is one issue we are very engaged in.
I nodded as I tried to formulate a response to show that the council shared his concern.
“Have you ever met Jan Lilien? She knows more about mental health than anyone and is a strong advocate.
I could feel my face beginning to blush.
“Yes, I know her very well.” Holding up my left hand so my wedding ring was visible. “I will let her know when I get home tonight.”
For what seemed like forever, the room was silent.
“Philip interrupted the silence and asked,””You are married to Jan?”
Suddenly I felt like I had driven in the winning run in an extra inning baseball game, as the five kept saying how lucky I was and patting me on my back. After the high fives, we discussed how they could join the larger community organization.
An hour later, as I started walking home, I felt so happy that my feet were floating across the sidewalk on Carroll Street. Reality set in at the corner of New York Avenue as I had to step over a small glacier of frozen slush left over from today’s late winter storm.
On the other side of the street was a pay phone. Standing as securely as possible on a slippery patch of ice, I held the receiver at an awkward angle. I put in a quarter and dialed the love of my life.
“Hi, sweetheart; I was worried about you,” Jan answered.
“The meeting was longer than I expected. I have something to tell you when I get home. On New York Avenue now and will be home soon.”
“Great, I can’t wait to see you. We have something important to do when you get home.”
“OK,I’mm almost out of time; see you soon.”
We had been rehabbing the house, but we never started this late. I wonder what Jan has planned for tonight?
After almost 48 years, I recently lost my wife, Jan Lilien. Like The Little Prince, Jan and I believed that “The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.” This blog is a collection of my random thoughts on love, grief, life, and all things considered.
