dVerse Prosery Monday

The wine did not matter. Nor the decadent dinner of lobster and steak. Not even the flowers with their heady scent. And not the sunlight highlighting your cheekbones and good breeding.

You hand me a package and when I open it and look crestfallen. You explain, “It is the moon wrapped in brown paper.” Your face was full of pride and expectation.

“But darling,” I say, ”I had asked for fish and chips wrapped in newspaper, with malt vinegar and salt to sting my lips for you to kiss and tongue turn to tingle.”

“You deserve more than cold fish and soggy chips,” you counter. “How can I compare your beauty to fried food? I am a man of means and I mean to give you the best.”

I shake my head, the silence steeping the air and the realization sinking into my heart.

*Image credit: Olga Solodilova* @ *Unsplash*
For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a couple dining. The man has a glass of wine in his hand and he is looking at his companion. The woman is staring the other way, holding a few long stem flowers.

Early for Sadje’s What do you see #121 but late for d’Verse Prosery with Björn’s prompt to use the line “It is a moon wrapper in brown paper” in a 144 word piece of prose. If I really wanted to stretch it, this writing also fulfills d’Verse’s Tuesday Poetics for an un-Valentine’s Day Poem theme however it is prose and not a poem so that may disqualify it. With my aversion to Valentine’s Day, I was quite happy to see these prompts.

Yes, it’s true – I am not a big fan of Valentine’s Day. I am a big fan of chocolates but this day just seems so superficial to me. I am especially not a big fan of kids bringing in valentines to school. At least at my children’s school, they make all the kids bring in a valentine for each kid in the class. Gone are the days of worrying that you wouldn’t get a valentines in your shoebox mailbox. Maybe that is where my aversion to this holiday comes from.

There is just something so artificial about this day. Why are kids – who have no notion of romantic love – even celebrating this day? Why are we forcing them to proclaim love (or even friendship) to kids who may be mean to them? Plus, all that pink and red and white paper and glitter that will just pollute the earth. And the candy and sweets! We still have Halloween candy and now more comes in.

One blessing of this pandemic, for me, was the chance to stop and be more thoughtful about what I was doing and why. I’m now looking at what my family is doing and asking that same question. What are we doing and why are we doing it?

Peter looked at the crumbling foundation of his house. Just yesterday he had completed all four walls. He had left the worksite proud of his accomplishment. This morning, his house was a mass of rocks. He sat down on what was once the front steps and picked up a stone. He laid his forehead on the jagged surface feeling the pricks on his skin and his pride. He breathed in and out and emitted a moan like an autumn wind high in the lonesome treetops. He continued to wail, not noticing the liquid splattering on the stone. “Why did you chose me?” his lament rose to the sky, as the September sun shone gently on his face, the wind now ruffling his hair. The sound of a jazz band slid into his ears. Peter felt the moan rise again, like he wanted somebody terrible.

My son’s rock collection. He washed them and had put them out to dry.

This bit of prose was inspired by Lillian at dVerse, Prosery Monday, and a line from her favorite poem by Carl Sandburg, “Jazz Fantasia” (links in the poem) as well as Patrick’s Pic and a Word #241 – Stone.

I had listened to a talk about Simon Peter, the apostle who denied Jesus three times, yet was chosen to be the “rock on which He will build his church” this week. This talk focused on how Jesus often chose people, who were not perfect, to be leaders. It was only through the love of Jesus that these imperfect people were still able to lead. These leaders were humble, self-less, and motivated by a Higher Power and not by their own self-interest, greed, or pride. When they faltered, or when things went wrong, they turned to God for help, inviting God into their lives to fill the parts that are broken.

There are many theories about what makes a good leader, especially in the business world.These qualities include being a good listener, being compassionate, being a good communicator, being able to see the big picture. Unfortunately in our current political world, our leaders seem to be severely lacking. What about in our personal world?