birthday invite

i was at the park. the one nearby i used to walk to all the time.
it's fun for kids. swings, sandbox, playground, and so forth.

at this park, i found a new little buddy.
i was sitting with little L who was ready for some early dinner when up came my 5 year old friend of the day.
he (J) just plopped himself down right next to me and L and started talking.
A and M were just having the time of their lives, playing at the park.
[i'd been distracted cause a scary dog that has a drug pseudonym for a name got loose from his owner a couple times. i had a very watchful eye, ready to protect the littles at a seconds notice, if need be.]
so i'm feeding L and J is just telling me about his life.
he REALLY likes light sabers. he brought one with him.
at some point in the light saber stories, he tells me his mom hits his daddy with a sword.
casually, mentions it.
he offers the light saber to my infant. what age qualifies as infant?
in the same sentence he tells me that his house is the one with the brown roof and that he used to live somewhere else. and he invites me to his birthday party.
he's turning five.
right before we leave, he makes sure to let me know that i should come to his party.
he doesn't say the time or day, just that i should come.

i keep delving deeper into the city, my neighborhood.
i see all this beauty and all this pain living right next to each other all the time.
my conversation with J was beautiful.
he let me into his almost five year old life.
he offered his one toy that he brought and shared some of those L was playing with.
i also saw the brokenness. the reality of his little four year old world, the scary dog on the loose, the activities in the park that go against my thoughts on what a park should be (a park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats.)

well, as i've told people before, i've taken the red pill and there is no turning back. no desire for it, nor Kingdom space for it.

seeking Shalom does not happen from self-protection or turning back. it takes intentionality, facing reality, and the largest dose of humility and flexibility a human can muster. okay, we have limited capacity for that, but the Creator of the universe is not limited and can muster much more than we, than i, have capacity for.

i hope to return to the park soon. maybe i'll stop by the brown roof and say hi to my new little buddy. perhaps i'll even bring him a gift.