First and Last

The first memories are the last to go.

     The Common Ground Fair is one of the largest fairs in Maine.  The parking for this fair is difficult and often leaves one having to walk quite a distance to the entrance.  To address this issue the fair set up transportation on an old train from Thorndike or Unity to the fair.  As we arrived in Thorndike the scene was straight out of a movie. There were women spinning wool and knitting, with baskets of yarn overflowing on to a table and a house nearby was selling homemade ginger ice cream sandwiches.  The conductor was an elderly gentleman wearing a uniform that was quite dated, appropriate for the age of the train.  Once we got off the train our hands were stamped T for Thorndike so we would remember when we left that we were going back to Thorndike and NOT Unity.

     After a few hours at the fair it was time to get back on the train.  We stood in line making sure we were in the "T" line. While we were riding back to our car we heard the people next to us say "I think we are on the wrong train." they asked the conductor what to do and he advised them to just stay on and they would go to Unity the long way.

     In the mean time a father with his two sons were sitting in front of us also.  The picture is of his baby.  The older boy chatted along the whole ride making comments about the train and the view.  Once we stopped everyone stood to depart except for the couple beside us. I then realized that the father and his sons were remaining as well.  The older boy asked why they were not getting off and the father said "Oh because we are taking a longer ride--aren't we lucky?"  

    I thought of this sweet father as we drove home and I wondered did he make a mistake? Did take the wrong train on purpose--therefore not the wrong train?  What mattered most was that the father never let on that anything was out of the ordinary and that whatever they were doing he was taking care of them.  

    The father was focused on the journey for his sons and not the rush to get to the proper landing. The scripture last week from Mark 10:31 "But many who are first will be last, and the last first." Reminded me of this train ride, beginnings and endings often get tangled up and we can miss a lot of living if that is our focus.

     This boy looking out the window doesn't know that he is going to be one of the last off the train---or is he one of the first on the train because he never go off?  What this boy knows is that there is a great view from his window and a loving guide behind him.