We just got back from a family vacation to Disneyland. By "we," I'm talking about our son and daughter-in-law, and their two kids. They wanted the kids to experience having their MeMaw and BePaw share the experience with them. Did we ever share the experience with them? It was quite a push for our bodies to cooperate (after all, I'm old enough to have had coffee with Walt Disney himself!).
I noticed something about the crowd walking around the place. Most were friendly and seemed to go out of their way to be nice, as you would expect at the happiest place on earth. Amid all this goodwill, I had a surprise. C.S. Lewis wrote SURPRISED BY JOY. I was surprised by grief. As we were going through the line at Flight Across California, I was telling some interesting facts about the photos displaying the history of aviation. I asked them to look for a photo of the world's largest wooden plane, the Spruce Goose. My dear friend, Dr. Lloyd Mitchell, was on the team that engineered the hydraulic system for the massive plane. Sure enough, we found it. I also saw a biplane and explained how my dad flew in one of those early contraptions. As a boy, he had a deal with a local biplane pilot. For every 10 paying customers he got to ride in the plane, he would be given a free ride.
Then it hit me. I felt this sudden surge of grief. I could feel it coming, but could not stop it. I tried to fight the tears because of frequent nosebleeds. The tears won. I used all I had to stop the grief of my father and eventually made it to the ride. I thought that was behind me, but as we left, the grief came back in a fury. There was no stopping the flood as I moved ahead of my family and turned my back on the crowd. That is when this late middle-aged woman came up to me.
"Are you going to be all right?" she asked with such concern in her eyes.
"That last ride triggered this deep hurt of grief," I replied.
By that time, my family realized something was happening and moved in to help. The woman faded away. I wish I could see her again to thank her for her compassion.
Why did people care so much for each other at Disneyland? It was an artificially controlled environment. Everyone was there to have safe fun. You could leave a stroller or wheelchair parked with your belongings in it as you went on a ride.
I lived in a similar environment in New York City following the terrorist attack in 2001. I was a recovery worker (see footnote). That attack brought people together like a caring family. The unimportant, small things didn't matter. Caring for each other did. It is no surprise that I felt culture shock when returning home near Portland, OR. People were still more involved in their own world than in caring about Americans on the other side of the country. Soon, the waving flags would disappear, and it would be business as usual.
Does it have to take tragedy to bring people together? Perhaps if we make an effort to care for those around us, we could make this country and world a better place. The truth is that we need to embrace the Prince of Peace. He is the Prince of lasting peace. In the Bible, the Book of St. John, chapter 14, verse 27, Jesus said:
"I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid." (John 14:27 NLT).
And...
"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (John 13:24-35 NLT).
Are you searching for a better America?
I encourage you to invite the Prince of Peace into your heart and life.
*Learn more about my experience by reading my book, "Sent to Serve...The Chaplains of 9/11"
