"Once upon a time in the faraway forested lands of North Western Ontario on an April morn a beautiful woman gave birth to a little bambino of a guy. His parents took him home and loved him and grew him up and gave him a good childhood. He had plenty of time to run around in the backyard, have adventures with his neighbours, read books, wrestle his father and many others things that he sometimes wishes he could go back and experience again. His best friend was his cousin, Nicole, and the two of them had many grand adventures together.
His parents were the sort of folk who cared about the good ordinary things in life. They cultivated in him a sense of honouring life and seeking out beauty and understanding the importance of little acts of love. It seemed quite natural then that when Jesus showed up he and boy became fast friends.
The boy went to school. He liked it and did alright. Words were his favorite things to play with and he soon started to make his own little stories for himself and draw pictures to go along with them. He liked that best. He grew older. Friends came and went as they often do during those years. The boy learned his first lessons in grief and forgiveness.
Gradually the boy began to change: his legs became longer, his voice became deeper and his hair became curlier. He didn't know it at the time, but he was slowly growing up! He made some new friends at his school and they became a tight-knit group. This was very special for the boy, and some of his most treasured memories are from their summers spent together. New things were learned like drumming and driving and the boy began to become a man.
It came as a shock when, over the course, of a few months nearly every member of that tight-knit group moved away or got married. The boy felt alone in his world. But the loneliness would not last long, for he was being prepared for a new adventure which would take him far from home and into a wonderful place.
He went to college. He had never intended to, yet it was exactly what he needed. He began to learn: not just information for tests or dates or that sort of thing--but really learn. He was taught about life and love, who he was in the world and who he was called to be, he was led to beauty and learned to treasure it, he caught glimpses of goodness and truth and they worked their way into his heart. He made new friends who became his family while he was away. The place worked its magic on him. He was forever changed by the people and the ideas he encountered there, though most importantly he was changed by his friend Jesus (who you remember he met a few paragraph ago!) and the two became closer than ever through the trials and joys that he encountered there.
And he fell in love. She was wonderful. She understood him in ways no one else had. She was patient and compassionate, curious and quick to laugh. She also cared about the good ordinary things of life: its loves and its struggles and she loved mystery. It was a good match.
And he fell in love. She was wonderful. She understood him in ways no one else had. She was patient and compassionate, curious and quick to laugh. She also cared about the good ordinary things of life: its loves and its struggles and she loved mystery. It was a good match.
They got married and now they live together in a house across the street from where the boy grew up. They very much enjoy being closer to their families since being away at college, studying then working for the last five to six year. And though their plans are to go to another school soon, to continue to cultivate their lives and their faith, they are taking the time to enjoy the little moments of beauty that each day brings, learning to laugh heartily, forgive quickly, sip quietly, read voraciously, snuggle warmly, cook garlicy, and pray regularly as they walk the road together."
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