Coming To The Table

Recently an excursion to the mall flipped a switch in me. We were in the parking waiting for a delivery and the lady bringing the item arrives and says a glowing hi to my sister then turns and introduces herself to me. I know her from our youth but I haven’t seen her in at least a decade. Now, remember I have changed and I was shielded by a Fedora hat and sunglasses so she doesn’t recognise me.

I smile and say, “Hi, I’m Kyesubire.”

“Look at you! Why are you hiding yourself? How are you? It has been a long time!” she gushes, pulling off my sunglasses and sharing a hug. She had absolutely no idea who I was until I introduce myself. We chatted for a bit then parted as she left the premises and we went into the supermarket.

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As we walk out towards the car, I notice a gentleman reaching into the boot of a silver Mercedes and I’m blown away when he turns to close the boot with the right bag for shopping in hand. He’s tall, has kind eyes, a partly grey beard and very stately posture. He could easily fit the bill of tall, dark and handsome. I know right? You need to stop shaking your head… I do appreciate God’s creation.

Just so I don’t get caught looking, I turn to follow my sister when I hear him say, “Hi Kyesubire.”

It startles me because he says it right with emphasis in the right places. For those who don’t know: Kyesubire is pronounced Chesubvire with a very soft ‘bv’ pronunciation. I have long gone by the short form Kyesse, pronounced Chess, but let me just put it out there, the days of that short form are numbered…very numbered, so start adjusting.

Anyway, back to the story…

My head was spinning for a long moment because I have no idea who he might be. All the same, I stopped, turned back slowly said hi, chatted for a few minutes and then ⚡⚡ boom! It hits me like a bolt of lightning. I remember his name. Whoop, whoop! I just want to scream, shout and dance around the parking. You can only how it is if you have met someone you cannot remember a name yet you were friends as kids? Imagine my surprise because even though, I haven’t seen him for 6+ years, he even remembers where we last met and what I was doing.

It surprised me that even with the Fedora hat and cool sunglasses I wore, he knew me; I was instantly recognisable. Yes! I am recognisable. (Cue happy dance, in my head at least before I heard Papa say, calm down…this isn’t it.

He’s aged well from our more youthful days when we bullied each other, sung in choir, attended bible club and simply played or hangout during our free time. He shared stories of traveling and meeting the parents of others in the group and being reminded that they weren’t old when we were growing up. They were our age, working their fingers to the bone to provide for us just like we are doing for our children.

As we left the mall and headed back home, my mind was racing, processing, searching, asking, wondering, when did one recall and the other didn’t? My thoughts circled back to the fact that despite all the changes growing up has created, one had no recall while the other had instant recall…what caused the difference? Is it even a big thing?

This life isn’t about who remembers you or not, likes you or not, talks to you or not, it is about being and doing you as God has revealed to you. What are the odds that a guy I’m chatting with God about is His son on assignment to remind me something? What if our conversation was to answer a question and lend strength to another? What needs to shift in my mind from that conversation?

I settle into a stock take moment about life and what I bring to the table.

Photo by Mat Brown on Pexels.com

The only thing I bring to the table is what God has planned and asked me to bring. There is Kyesubire shaped gap in my immediate world and I must rise up and fill it according to the manufacturers design. I cannot want to do what others are doing or be someone else because the gap I am to fill will be empty and that isn’t a good thing for the world.

Each one has to do their part so that all of us can reach the peak of our communal impact. I choose to live consistently on the upper hand to know the action demanded by God for each situation and bring that on board for the good of the community.

I so love God.

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