I did really listen. And what came my way was a detailed recitation of what happens in the Sidney Poitier movie, Lilies of the Field. I learned that it can be hard for people with different native tongues to communicate. That sometimes, Bible stories in different languages can be helpful. That what feeds a man can be very different from what feeds a bunch of nuns. That it’s ok to be independent, but its even better to accept the help of strangers when it is offered. Even when it’s some old bricks and a chandelier. That sometimes a man needs a glass of cold water in the face to heal what ails him. That it takes a community to build a chapel. That there’s a lot to be learned in the desert. That a movie in black and white can be colorful.

And that listening, really listening, to one’s mother is good. I thought I’d learn more about her, but learned more about me as well. It may not cure what ails me, but it pushes me on to the next step.

Thanks, Mama.