On Vibrate

Everybody's Fine.  The Robert De Niro movie by that name has been going through my mind since Friday.  In the movie De Niro's character, Frank, travels to see each of his grown children to make sure they're fine.

In my case, my children have been checking in regularly to let me know they're fine.  My son in Boston called early Friday morning to tell me he was okay before I had any idea there was a manhunt underway.  He was home trying to figure out how to get to work, and soon after his call we heard that all of Boston was told to shelter in place.

I watched and listened as Friday's events unfolded.  I kept thinking the police would locate the suspect...any minute they would come upon him hiding...arrest him...and this chapter would be finished, though the story was just beginning.  I was concerned about the safety of my son, but I was acutely aware that the bombing suspects were someone's sons, too.

It feels like someone put the world on vibrate....

Two weeks ago during a massage my body started to vibrate.  It was unexpected but not scary, odd but not hurtful.  I felt the effects for hours afterward.  A few days later I asked my daughter what she thought the vibrating meant.  She said she didn't have a scientific explanation, but she had a theory and used a metaphor to explain:  When musicians in an orchestra tune their instruments before a concert, the sounds are disjointed, apart from one another, out of sync.  Each instrument needs to be tuned on its own before it carries its part within the group.  When the conductor taps his wand, the sounds find each other, come together, and play in harmony.

Chaos lays the groundwork for harmony.

That explanation has been reassuring to me as I reflect on all that is happening, in my life and out in the world.  I want a reason for continued optimism.   I want to believe that we will figure this out.

I like to think that through it all we are moving toward harmony....