In the details.

More on my mother.

I missed the last flight of yesterday back to Portland and had to spend one more night at home. It was due to an impressive piece of flakiness on my part, which was frustrating, but all things considered I wasn't too devastated. It had been a quick trip, and staying another night meant that I got to spend some extra time with a couple people I'd been sad not to see more.

My mother drove me to the airport this morning. As context for the following conversation, know that my parents' religious beliefs and mine differ quite a bit. I love and learn so much from the spirit of generosity and kindness which my mother lives her life from. (And I get a kick out of, "You know I love your blog, sweetie, but sometimes you really do write a lot about Jesus.")

As she drove our sleepy selves to the airport for the second time in thirteen hours, we were discussing that it had worked out quite nicely that I got the extra time after all.

I said, "When I got to their house last night, Beck joked that my missing the plane was a God thing.'"
My mom laughed. "You know I don't think God micromanages. But I'm glad you got to see them."
"I know." I yawned. A minute later, "I don't think God micromanages. But one of my favorite Christian beliefs is that he works every thing that happens, even bad stuff, into good somehow."
"Mmhmm."

We pulled up to a gas station. At 4:45 in the morning, music was blaring out of their speakers into the empty parking lot. A woman's voice, "They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot...."

She got out to get gas, I got out to stretch.
"Like it's totally a God thing Joni Mitchell is playing right now."
"I was just having that exact thought!"

*****

("Sorry I'm not chattier this morning, sweetie."
"Mom, it's 4:30 in the morning. It's fine."
"Well actually, it's five."
"I'm giving you an extra half hour of parenting slack. Take it."
"Okay.")

*****

She turned to follow the signs directing her to the Southwest departure terminal.

She reached across the seat to grab my hand.
"I think it was a God thing you had to stay the night. He knew I needed the extra time with you."