Are Lost Souls Good Enough?

I recently had contact with a cousin with whom I had not spoken in years. It gave me cause to reflect on leaving my Ohio so many years ago.

In every neighborhood where children gather, there is always one who is left out, one with whom no one will play. Maybe their social skills got off to a bad start, or maybe their parents refuse to put them on Ritalin. Whatever the reason, in my neighborhood, that kid was me. And though my social standing has improved greatly since then, the spectre of the little boy at the edge of the playground haunts me even to this day. And in my final moments on this earth, he will be among those at my side to bid me adieu.

His company is not unexpected, as he has influenced some of the major decisions in my life. He has been less formidable counsel in recent years, but he remains in the shadows, as one who might be called upon at any time.

Everyone has moments in their lives when they stand alone against the world. Such is the nature of the human condition, and the reminder for all of us of how we pass unaccompanied from one world to the next. Love that is unrequited has long been the staple of song and story. When I heard this selection from an a cappella quartet based in Toronto, known as The Nylons, I remembered those moments in the quiet of my own heart. I also remembered how Paul and I have long shared a mutual love of a cappella recording artists. We will be featuring some of them in the weeks to come.

But for now, in this time zone, the evening shades are drawing nigh.
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