August 6, 2006

lines

Usually the thought of lines brings to mind the impatience we feel while being behind scads of people . . .
for a Latte
making a bank deposit or cashing a check
getting our drivers license
trying to mail off our taxes in the afternoon of April 15
buying gas before or after a hurricane
Walmart on a Saturday afternoon
buying tickets for a concert
buying shoes at a Dillards 75% off sale

I try to avoid lines like the plague. Or, I multi-task. I have been known to pull out my knitting at long traffic delays. Phone calls are good. Most likely my favorite is to clean out my purse/wallet, of course if I have a place to dispose of the unmentionable items I usually find at the bottom of my bag. Eeeewwww, and I thought I was a clean person?!

But there is another type of line I find fascinating.

Like have you ever driven through the line between sunny and rainy? Isn't that magical?

I understand somewhere in north Kentucky, there is a line between sweet tea and plain brewed tea. Too far north, you have to add sugar to the icey beverage and just hope enough of it manages to dissolve to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Farther east, there is the line between "you-all" and "yous guys". And "soda" and "pop". Now in the deep, deep south is another line you cross and all sodas are called "coke"!

"Y'aaaalllll, I wanna coke. No, not a Coke coke, I wanna 7-Up coke." And that's the same place that when what you have said is not understood, the standard quiery is, "Dew-waaaaa???" When I first moved to North Carolina from Michigan, I went home from my first day at East Hendersonville High School and asked Mother, "WHAT is a dew-waa?" We had certainly crossed a big line with that move!

What about the line between like and love. . .
hope and discouragement
joy and sorrow
hatred and love
trust and distrust?

Some lines use up a lot of our time as we have to wait to spend our money. Other lines are boundaries between two realities, allowing us new experiences.

Then there are the lines in our hearts. Invisible yet nearly cavernous. To cross bitter waters to living waters can take time. Seems the only vehical that carries me over is mercy/forgiveness.

I'm there!

16 comments:

Louisiana said...

your post today is almost poetic.
beautifully written.

i'm sorry for the place you find yourself in. i'm sorry that you are hurting. follow your heart, it always knows the way.

good luck my friend. may you have God's Graces.

hugs. lots of hugs.

Anonymous said...

many kinds of lines here is some curvy 1s 4 u

((((((hattiegrace))))))

Candy Minx said...

This was brilliant, just lovely!

Really a joy to read this set of musings. I am really impressed you must have eaten your wheaties today.

I send prayer your way regarding potential moves...and remember god moves in even more mysterious ways...

Camie Vog said...

Hattie,
Got an email from Dinners about you. He wanted me to tell you that his home computer is sick, and he is unable to check blogs from work. He would have emailed you, but he doesn't have an address for you. He was concerned about you, and asked me to let you know this and that he had no other way to respond to you. We are both worried for you, and send our best with lots of love!
xxoo

C. H. Green said...

Great post, Hattie. I've been missin' ya over at my place. Stop by and have a coke or some sweet tea with me would ya.

Ryane said...

Lines can also manifest as those small, yet powerful expressions on our faces, between our brows, next to our crinkled up, smiling eyes--and even though a lot of us pay hefty amounts to try and eradicate them, some lines are just proof that you have lived life, and lived it well w/happiness, laughter and verve. =-)

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Your post was so insightful and a real joy to read. I wish I could write like you think.

Gardenia said...

Hey!! Breakthrough!

Jada's Gigi said...

What a beautiful post! and yes, there are many invisible lines that are very real just the same. I'm SO glad you have crossed that particular one..though you may find yourself having to revisit it some...mercy/forgiveness/grace. Its a life changing line to cross over.

Jennifer said...

This is really interesting. Thank you for allowing me to reframe the way I think about lines. I'll be sure to remember your words on my trip to the DMV this week...

Gayzha said...

lines are there to draw between night and day, health and sickness, right and wrong. i love lines when they intersect and find peace!

shellz said...

Transition is tough, but the breakthrough makes it all worthwhile, doesn't it? Glad you are in a good place again.

David Tellez said...

The one line I hate, is the one most people have sprawled across their forehead. That furrow line...ugh. Totally bothers me because you know that person hasnt had a good laugh in a while...

P.S. Yeah, what is, "Dew-waaaaa"?!

Louisiana said...

hello beautiful..just stopping by to see if i can borrow a cup of sugar? as i peek in and try to get a look and make sure everything is okay..

see i suck at this communicating these scenes in my head, lol...

ok, my try to see that you are doing okay...no responce necessarry at all.
i just needed to tell you: love you.

FOUR DINNERS said...

Spent most of my life crossing lines. That is a great post babe. You're ok again I reckon.

Danielle said...

Yes. Why these lines? So silly that we draw them. Here's to erasing lines and embracing whatever it is we're trying foolishly to quarantine ourselves from.