And There is Joy!
My dear friends. L - R Libby Jones Gillen, GiGi (Grace Gillen), Theo Gillen, Sam Gillen.
Photo' taken at Cape Cod, Massachusetts in 2019; but published for Libby's birthday on 2nd January 2021.
I've known Libby since 1984. I've had the privilege of officiating at her wedding to Sam; and of baptising Gigi and Theo.
I called Libby on her birthday.
Come Sunday 3rd January I took my early morning walk with Zion, head down a bit in these trying days. Then I remembered my previous day's 'phone call with Libby. I was filled with joy. I grinned from ear to ear. I was filled with gratitude for our long friendship.
There was more joy to come. On Sunday afternoon as I walked at Arlington Park I encountered two elegant black women; Sixty or Seventy ish; tall, slender, clad in gorgeous walking gear, and with short salt and pepper hair, Such beauty!
The women stopped to admire Zion as well they should. Then I took a minor risk. I guessed their heritage and began to sing the refrain of a Hymn:
"We're walking to (with) Zion;
Beautiful, beautiful Zion.
We're walking upwards to Zion,
The Beautiful City of God".
We sang with zest and Joy! Joy x 2 in one day!
My thoughts moved to a great woman, and a dear friend to me, and to many others: Bishop Barbara Harris.
She loved the hymn. She belted it out with the best! Bishop Harris died in 2020. I'll never again hear her singing "Beautiful, beautiful Zion" She is there.
but her "sisters" and I sang it at Arlington Park!
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Not the best rendition, but It'll do
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