Syzygy

Blogging from Bruce
Vonda Keon
November 23, 2008

You have one hand, I have the other. Put them together, We have each other. You help me, and I'll help you, and together, we will see it through.

Thursday night, while at box up night at the Food Pantry, one of our loyal ‘friends’ of the pantry asked me how I came up with ideas for my weekly columns. I had to laugh as I thought about how to answer his question. I keep a notebook/journal in my purse and I am constantly jotting down thoughts about things that occur or odd thoughts that just pop into my head. Sometimes hearing a song triggers a column. Other times I hear a word and go off on that rabbit trail in search of something. I finally told him it was pure SYZYGY.
Syzygy is pronounced sizzajee. Its meanings are a really good explanation for my columns. Meaning #1 is: a straight line conjunction or opposition of 3 objects; i.e. the sun, the earth and the moon. Meaning #2 is: a pair of related things that are either similar or opposite. I do have a tendency to see things in relation to the second meaning.
Here is how the Syzygy worked last week. Keegan Coleman called me Sunday evening and told me that he had a donation from the CREATE Foundation for the Food Pantry so we made the appointment to meet at CCHS on my day off Tuesday for the presentation and to have our photo op. This time of year we really like to make the food boxes as special as we can and we have been truly blessed with donations of food and money to buy more items so we can give to those that need it. Keegan’s call was an answer to prayer.

When all the ‘friends’ of the Pantry came together Thursday evening, we were all just amazed at how much we had to pack into the boxes and how many we were able to make. Saturday morning arrived and it was bitter cold and anyone that knows me well, knows that I absolutely can’t stand being cold. I had polio in 1954 and cold affects me a bit differently than most. I can’t cut extreme heat but I sure don’t like the cold. I usually bundle up pretty good before I go out to walk to each car and mark off the names and give them the ticket to pick up their boxes. I get out into the cold so the older folks don’t have too. So, if you happened to be in that line on Saturday and you noticed that I was getting a ‘wee’ bit cranky, forgive me. I was really longing to be sitting in your nice warm car.

When I had finished marking off the names of the people that had come for a box, I walked back to the Food Pantry building and there were all of our ‘Friends’ busily putting the boxes into the cars as they rolled up. And then I saw the sweet potatoes. I could not believe my eyes. There on the back of a trailer sat two of those big wooden crates packed full of Vardaman sweet potatoes. The Lord will bless a wonderful ‘tater farmer’ for his gift to us. Those potatoes were met with oohs and ahhs and “thank you so much”.

After the Pantry, I had to start running around getting two girls ready for the Beauty Revue at BHS. Erin was at the Kim’s waiting in line with the bevy of beauties all awaiting the magical transformation. Ping was doing her own thing at home preparing herself. She had a gorgeous dress that her mom had sent her and she and Ji Eun were working their own brand of Asian magic. I stuck my head in the door from time to time to check on them but the two friends quickly assured me that they had every thing under control.

One of Erin’s friend’s from Tupelo arrived to see the Review and joined us at the BHS Auditorium. Ji Eun and Ping were joined by their Asian friend Rachael and they sat together waiting until it would time for Ping to go back to get ready. Erin went back first and then later on Ping’s group was called. She disappeared through the swinging doors and then a few minutes later we saw her reappear very upset. As she was getting dressed, the zipper on the beautiful fairy princess dress broke. Ji Eun was heart broken because she thought she had broken it and she was crying Ping was just devastated. She said she wanted to walk home and I watched her as she walked out of the auditorium with huge silent tears rolling down her cheeks. I felt helpless.

A short time later, the 11th grade beauties were called onto the stage and Ping walked out wearing another dress! There she was in another beautiful dress but I could tell she was still upset because her eyes were huge. We didn’t know what to think. After it was over, we found out that a student that had already been on stage in an earlier group took her dress off and told to Ping to put it on and go out there. Ping told me later that she could not believe that someone that did not know her would do something so nice for a stranger. I told her that friends come in all shapes and sizes and colors and ages

After we came back home, one of Ping’s friends called me and said he was on his way to Bruce and he wanted to treat Ping and Ji Eun to a pizza. I told him about the wardrobe malfunction when he arrived. His surprise visit lifted both their spirits and he helped them to understand that stuff just happens and things always work out for the good in the end. The two girls were able to laugh about it all later.

As I sit here typing I can see the Syzygy at work with Friends. Totally unrelated things yet it all fits together for me. Across the land, Across the sea, Friends forever, We will always be.