“The Simplest of Moments” – from Nathaniel Dunigan’s Journal
“How was the night, dear?”
“Great, Daddy. How was your night?”
And so begin my days. “Osuze otya, baanbi?”
“Bulungi, Daddy. Osuze otya?”

Over and over each day.
Over and over every day.

The exchange took place many times this morning as I made my way down to the office. Meanwhile, Sam, 3, and Simon Peter, 7, competed for my free hand (the other hand holding folders, a phone, a two-way radio, and my coffee cup).

Then Abraham, 4, fell into place, also kindly competing for Daddy’s hand. Finally we reached a happy compromise, each holding the other’s hand—channeling the morning’s camaraderie through our human wiring.

Once in the office, Simon Peter took the seat opposite mine at the desk, and on the left. Abraham took the right. Sam climbed onto my lap.

And then toddled in little Justine, 2. (She weighed only five pounds when she came to us at six months old!) In typical Justine-style, she considered not the idea of sharing a chair. Instead, a doll clutched in one arm, she used the other to tug a wee table from across the office—an inch at a time—to a perfect central locale just opposite mine.

At first, she had an obvious conflict as she struggled to balance her comfort-level with the fact that her new perch wasn’t quite close enough, nor tall enough, for her to rest her elbows alongside the others on my desk.

“Never mind,” she clearly concluded, though, as she returned her focus (and both arms) to the doll.

Apparently, she liked sharing in this case.

And so did I.

My how the simplest of moments produce the greatest joy!

As an anecdote brings festivity to a dinner party.
Like talent brings magic to ivory keys.
As wisdom lends clarity to darkness.
So human connection communicates the reality of the Divine.

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“To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.” ~ Johannes A. Gaertner