Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: BUSY (02/02/17)
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TITLE: Whirling Dervish | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jack Taylor
02/09/17 -
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“Those whirling dervishes made my head spin,” he stated to Daphne and Freddy as he thumbed through pictures on his phone.
Daphne hung over the back of the couch trying to glimpse the rapidly passing images. “What’s a whirling dervish?” she asked.
Simon stopped and scrolled to a specific picture. “See! A whirling dervish is a person who is so busy twirling and whirling around you that it makes you dizzy trying to keep track of them.”
Freddy looked up from his tablet and frowned. “What do they look like?” he asked.
Daphne crossed her arms in that all knowing pose and answered, “they look like mom.”
It’s true! I’ve noted the resemblance to my wife Stephanie more often than not in our fifteen years of marriage. In a conversation with my sister last week I tried to fill out a crossword puzzle in the morning paper as I described a typical Saturday morning for the love of my life.
“Steph was up by 5 this morning, like she is every day of the week. I rolled out at 7 and she’d already done her devotions, her exercise at the women’s fitness center, two loads of laundry and was off to pick up groceries for store opening.” Her shadowed touch was everywhere at once in our space.
Mel groaned at the thought. “Doesn’t she ever give herself a break? She’s been like this ever since I’ve known her. She gives busy a whole new definition.”
“You know us,” I said. “Two first-borns who keep trying to outdo each other.”
My sister sighed and added. “Don’t I know it - You think the word “busy” is somehow supposed to mark you as Mr. Spiritual. It’s the pastor’s answer to ‘how are you?’”
That familiar twist in my gut had nothing to do with a whirling dervish.
My silence must have lasted a second too long. “Ken, c’mon,” said Mel. “You’ve been busy since we were young. You would get me to my practices after school, then run off to work part time. Monday nights you were at scouts, Tuesday at Bible study, Wednesday at prayer meeting, Thursday at choir and Friday at youth.”
I cleared my throat. “At least we had Saturday night and Sunday mornings,” I said.
“That was before dad died,” Mel said. “Before mom went into that depression and you left me alone with her and Simon while you went out to work and then off to seminary.”
“Things weren’t ideal,” I said.
“And now they are?”
That conversation hadn’t finished well but it stuck in my mind all week as I was preparing for Sunday morning’s message. “Me? Too busy?” I flipped through my Bible, glad I wasn’t preaching on the story of the Good Samaritan.
Mel’s divorce had been messy after her rehab from alcoholism. She’d never been able to have children. The concussion she suffered from being rear ended in a vehicle accident didn’t help her focus. She seemed to know every button I had and she knew how to push it.
As I watched the easy manner in which Freddy and Daphne hung on Simon’s neck and arms I saw how comfortable they felt with each other as family. A deep sense of loss engulfed me and my hand instinctively reached for my phone.
I needed to call Mel and apologize for ignoring her all these years. Caring for mom and Simon left her too busy to think of herself. Her marriage had been an act of desperation and I hardly made it to the wedding in time to watch Simon take her down the aisle.
My busy mind immediately provided the reasoning to wait another day. ‘I had to prepare to preach. This was a tough passage which needed extra careful prep. There were more emails to answer and people expected responses. If I called now, Mel would talk on and on and fill me with more guilt. I needed to get my spirit right. My wife was out whirling again.’
Simon glanced my way and we locked eyes. “Call,” he said. “She needs you.”
Mel answered. “Ken?”
“Hey, sis.”
“Aren’t you too busy for this?”
“Actually, I’ve been too busy up until now. I’m coming over.”
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I have to agree with Sherry. I think you may have introduced too many people for such a short piece... The MC, his wife, sister, brother, kids... I had trouble keeping track of who was who. But then, I have trouble keeping track of people in most movies, too, so it's at least partially me.
There are some good reminders here. We can be too busy, even with seemingly good things!