Trading Places

Our favorite church in VT. Third pew; left hand side.

Sunday, eight o'clock, third pew right hand side. If we are home on a Sunday, 99.9% of the time that is where you will find us. Up front for two reasons: I like the girls to be able to see what is going on, and two: I like for us all to hear what is being said. This Sunday was different. I had a different point of view.

This Sunday it was 10:30 Mass, in the back. With the Middle School Youth Ministry meeting, picnic sign ups and the Dustin Pedroia signed baseball raffle for the St. Vincent dePaul Society, I scouted out the dead last pew, still right hand side.

First of all, I discovered, you can hear and understand what is being said in the way back.

Secondly, I watched as grandparents, parents and children gathered from their separate homes, to sit together as one family unit. I noted another grandchild is on the way.

I saw, near the front, one child scurry from pew to pew, sitting with different families that he has learned to call his own church family. Each new seating arrangement, he was greeted with a hug. It's great to be home.

I noted a dad, escorted by his two toddler sons, getting up with his brand new baby, to change the baby's diaper. All that love and support.

I smiled when I watched a different dad, holding his preschool son's hand, walk the distance of four pews so his son could shake the hand of a peer at the Sign of Peace.

I registered that the young man, with the big earrings, sitting a distant next to me, was really paying attention and participating. Even in the way back pew.

It's amazing what you'll see when you change your point of view.