Thoughts from hanging out with strangers by the pool.
Different Religious System, Same Shoes.
As a person smack dab in the middle of delta’s software debacle, this makes one wonder, who is getting fired this week? Why is this happening to me when I never usually fly Delta! And why is this happening so that I have to skip my son’s 18th birthday? I don’t usually cry in airports, but yesterday I did. After having a Delta flight cancel, to rebooking on SW, only to show up with them saying there’s something wrong with the aircraft and I can rebook in TWO days. I cried, got a voucher thing, a rebooked flight, and a ferver to go back to the hotel and hit refresh on SW’s website about 3 zillion times to see if anyone would cancel. If they did, you would have to speed type your info and a lot of times, I wasn’t fast enough. But one time I was and booked a flight for the next day at 5pm. I’ll be able to get home at midnight tonight, with connecting flights, Thank God.
So, what to do with my time today? Extended checkout, pool time. But with all the delays, the hotel pool was absolutely crowded with no seats available. I had already tried the day before. So I decided to go when the pool opened. So did 10 other people. We had 15 minutes to wait so I struck up a conversation with a lady next to me. She asked me what I did. I respond like I always do, so I don’t have to explain that I do a lot of things: “I’m a writer.” This doesn’t feel as weird to say anymore and I’m starting to get used to it. This naturally leads to, “What do you write about?” To which I always respond, “I wrote a book of essays about my weird life.” I do this because I don’t want to turn people from engagement by telling them I write in the faith space. This is like telling people you’re a preacher, just say goodbye! I forgot I was wearing my Denver Seminary hat-oops.
The doors opened to the pool and we found seats sort of naturally together. “I promise I won’t talk to you the whole time,” She exclaimed.
“I don’t mind. I’ve been alone in my hotel room for a while.”
When we talked further, she mentioned something Mormon-ish and So I asked her if she was a member. She talked about deconstructing due to the hierarchies, sexism, purity culture among other things. She asked me if I had heard of Beth Allison Barr. LOL, why yes, I have. Let the games begin. We talked for hours, told stories about our own lives, making our own way, asking hard questions about our faith spaces, and how our lives shouldn’t mimic the world’s hierarchies and patriarchy, but the life Jesus exemplifies. We both exclaimed YES! at the same time. She said, “This is wild. I thought this was only my experience. But to have some one have the same journey in a a different religious system is unbelievable.” I looked down. We had the exact same shoes: hers were black, mine were gold. I don’t even know if they make them anymore, I’ve had them for 6 years. They’re my favorite.
We are so much more alike that we think. I wonder if we were more honest with each other, we could help dig one another out of the dark holes often dug by those in faith spaces that promised us the light. “I’m buying your book right now!” She said. I told her this is how I sell books. I go towel to towel pedaling goods.
Basically we solved all the world’s problems over a bunch of pool nachos and fish tacos. Another couple arrived and asked if anyone was sitting next to us. NOPE, take the seats and be thankful. My new friend got an alert that Biden Was stepping down from the race, and they overheard. Then the Kahmala announcement so I let them know that too as their personal live twitter. And sitting together there, no one was inflamed, mad, or quick to give any opinions. Everyone was cordial and kind because we’re living in a chaotic world and we just marveled at how we are going to navigate this.
My new friend suggest Sharon (Says So) should be the new candidate and the couple on the other side agreed—so did I. I texted this “idea” to Sharon and she responded immediately, “LOL.” I shared it with them and then Sharon screen shotted it and posted it to instagram— you would have thought I was Taylor Swift—well, the assistant to Taylor Swift. I asked about the couple’s kids next to us and she told me about her Autistic son. I told her about Lila and we compared notes and talked about how life was so complicated. She said they had an 8 year old and I yelled, “WATCH THEM!! 8-10 Is the best age. Affirm what they’re doing! And you both need to remember what you were doing when you were that age and get back to it.” Dang it, I can’t help myself (I wrote a book about this so it’s fair!). “Looks like I’ll be following you on instagram.” I told her, this is how I do it and pretended to open a coat jacket to sell them something. “I’ll take a bracelet!” She laughed.
It was time to go and pack. We said our goodbyes and also, “Tell me your name again?”. I’m a cart before the horse kinda gal. Now I’m sitting in the SLC writing this, my flight delayed by just a bit. Hoping for the best, thankful for random humans getting me through a hard day of missing my family. Breadcrumbs are everywhere if you’re open to it and sometimes they’re humans.
Pray I get home,
Jami
Just so glad you wrote this out for us. What sweet moments… but the shoes blows me away! Wild.