Rector's Warden Report: February 17th, 2023

When my family and I chose St. Martin's, proximity to our home was important. We could walk there easily and as we went along with our daily routines, it became a visual beacon of inspiration and an anchor that kept me grounded. When I hurriedly pass by, I always take a peak at who's there. Is James outside? Where's Connie? Do I hear the bell ringers practicing? Is there a wedding or a funeral going on?


Over the past few months, my husband has been working on a political campaign in Chicago and I am home on my own with the dog. Most of the time I enjoy my time at home alone. I have no curfew and I don't have to unload the dishwasher every day. It's a far cry from the last 26 years of my life. I've been married 26 years and our kids are 25 and 20 away on their own and at college. Our house was the place where friends stopped on their way to the Watertower; on their way home from Jenks; or after riding the train home from school in Center City. There were years when there were other people's kids in our house even when ours were not. We all know about those houses. I loved being that house.


I loved that time and I love this life with my dog, too. I don't love this time so much, though, when I've had a hard day. When I come home from a good day, I'm happy and I eat cookies in my bed and watch Netflix as late as I like. On not-so-good days, though, I'm a little lonely. There's nobody else's joy to share or someone to hug or anyone to hear me shout, "I'm HOOOOOME!!! Helllooo, I'm here," as I come in the front door. I don't eat my cookies with the same zeal.


Tonight was one of those days. I had a long day on my feet and I had a work event this evening. Leaving Center City I knew that my dog was waiting, but it's not the same for me as getting caught up in the middle of the action with a family, which is one of my favorite things. So, I intentionally took the route past St. Martin's with the hope that people were still there from the Black History Month Celebration Concert. There were! I stopped and went inside. I was able to jump into the middle of the festivities and action with my St. Martin's family. Folks were thrilled with the concert. I was happy and excited, too, to hear the rave reviews of the Choir and the Choristers. There were new families and not so new families. I viewed some incredibly beautiful art work by black artists loaned to St. Martin's by Carolyn Green and Michael Blakeney. Tonight, I came home to my St. Martin's family. I was happy to see them and they were happy to see me. And then I went back home to eat cookies and watch Netflix in bed. I'm a lucky woman.