Solo Mother

the magic of movies

by christina on September 22nd, 2007

There’s this hip, nondenominational, warmfuzzy church in my town that puts on such family favorites as the Easter Eggstravaganza and a Mother’s Day luncheon that makes moms smile. They aren’t marketing Jesus. They don’t mention God. They just promote family and happiness and make memories in my neighborhood. I heart them.

Last night, the King of Everything and I raced home so I could change out of my work suit and into play clothes, then rushed to the park, where this funky groovy church had set up a big screen, a big generator, and the film Cars. There was free popcorn and juice and frozen ices. There was close captioned for the large showing of hearing impaired families. There were bats swooping around eating the mosquitos.

There were a few hundred of my closest friends there.

No, seriously. It felt that way. We walked in with Kat, the beautiful friend and mama who took us in when we first landed in DC nearly a year ago, scared and exhausted and holding nothing more than four suitcases and $400 in our tired hands. I looked at the families spread out on blankets in a corner of the park and recognized dozens of faces, mostly children from the park who include my son in their games more often than not, and of their mothers and fathers. Some of those parents helped us when we arrived, bringing us the handmedown linens, plates, furniture, and clothes that we still use everyday. We shared a picnic blanket with a woman whose son I remember from before we left for Dubai, a woman for whom I have a great and genuine affection. We ran into Renee, who let us live with her for a month on no stronger recommendation than we were from the neighborhood and we were in need.

I let my four year old walk to the concession stand by himself, out of my sight. He’s well-known in this crowd, and the pack of boys he was running with included him in their tight ranks. I wasn’t worried about him.

I am so grateful for all of this. No matter how frightening things get from time to time, I am so blessed. Can you imagine such a community? Would you believe I’m talking about the same city that was once named the Murder Capital of the World?

There is such goodness in this world. Please share it.

Share This

Related Stories

Day six of underemployment. Thrifty ideas for single mothers
Magic….
How was your Thanksgiving, solo mothers?
Something about limbo
You don’t have to be a science wiz to enjoy this stuff!

POSTED IN: ritual