Bowling and Bypasses


There's something comforting about simple, earthy pleasures during times of stress or even grief.


My friend lost a dear friend yesterday to a sudden illness.

"...and all I wanted to do was eat your bread," she wrote me (I had taken her a homemade loaf the day before).

And today, while my father-in-law was having open-heart surgery, we bowled.

"Way to go, Beth!"

(I wonder if they've stopped his heart yet.)

"Grrrr...that stupid 10-pin."

(Hope those doctors got a good night's sleep.)

"Steee-rike!"

(We never learned how many bypasses...when will it be over?)

It was over around three o'clock and Mike's dad was resting comfortably shortly after. We bowled more lightheartedly for the next hour (Monday bowling special: All-You-Can-Bowl for the price of one string. Ever throw a 10 lb. ball for three straight hours?? That's why I've been sprawled on the sofa for two straight hours.).

Life is hard. Sometimes it makes you want to cry, sometimes it makes you want to eat, and sometimes it makes you want to roll a heavy hot-pink ball down a greasy lane to knock down a couple of plastic penguins.

This old guy, a few lanes down from us, doesn't take life too seriously.

Yep, he's bowling backwards. And he wasn't half bad.

In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart!
I have overcome the world.
--John 16:33

2 comments:

Brenda Christmas said...

Hugs to you and your friend.

You are gonna be feeling that arm in the morning. My arm is having sympathy pains for your arm!

Timber said...

You know, it's funny - Mike and Beth always get sore for a couple of days and I don't. The only thing I can attribute it to is hefting all those boxes of books and donations every day (or else I have no muscles to make sore, which is feasible - I may be made of pure fat!)...