Tickling Awake

Crows fly east under clouds as thick as a Scottish sweater. I think of Vancouver’s rainy season like a wet blanket: enveloping, comforting, can give you hypothermia. I am driving back from church, still basking in its glow. Just hearing the minister affirm the sanctity of the 2SLGBTQ body every Sunday gives me such hope for humanity. Knowing we are working through the T&R calls to action and finding specific ways to atone and find understanding is healing and vital. Having Mr. and Mr. Singh play for our worship on tabla and sitar was a gift. Nora whispered to me “They’re AMAZING”!

We always sit behind a classy woman well along in years who wears a smart hat, lipstick and a tailored colourful two piece suit and a snarl just for me. Let’s call her Pearl. I say hello and she pretends she doesn’t hear me. It’s really quite hilarious. She has a crush on my husband because he often holds her hand while he takes her pulse and asks her if she’d like some water. He leaps up to offer her an arm when she goes up for communion. This is despite the fact she is always with an aide. She doesn’t believe I deserve him, that’s my conclusion, and heck, she might be right. The worst part of it is, I keep coming to church and he keeps having to work on Sundays. Poor Pearl is stuck with me.

Nora read the scripture this morning in her Value Village chic and her blue cropped hair. Dan gave a great sermon about allowing transformation to tickle us awake, even if sleep is comfortable. We had communion together for the first time in over two years. It was moving. It was hilarious. Communion came in these tiny Communion juice pots with a host secured in the tab. Pearl struggled to get to the body of Christ. Her aide assisted. John greeted us after the service wearing green and cream and a tasteful jewelled broach. He may be the most elegant person I know. I want to grow up to be lithe lovely John some day.

So, on the way home, under the sweater sky, following the direction of the crows, I think about being tickled awake. How F’ing annoying. I’d HATE that. How do I like to be woken up? How do I try to wake people up? Lovingly, quietly, gently? This person who is sending me anti-vaccination and conspiracy theory links. How do I gently awaken them to my perception of reality? How do I re-awaken a conversation with a relative who is alienating themselves and causing the family grief? What is tickling me that I am kicking away from and tucking under the covers to avoid? Oh that Dan, he makes me think.