I thought you should know that my friend lives in this world too...

I stand in my studio soldering as I fall in love with a Richard Shindell song and thinking of my good friend WC.

Long before I ventured into Jesuit spirituality, WC guided me into the world where hymns appear out of the mystery in which I now walk. Friday night, I waved her over and asked her for an hour of her time. I would not want to retreat in silence with WC, I would miss out on way too many laughs.

But during that hour, I am telling her about my heart. My pains. My joys. My callings. She says, "We need to do something about this." She says wonderfully kind things and I try my best to not close my eyes to the kindness.

At dinner, she is in the midst of some announcements when she asks me to raise my hand. She tells the masses that she has given me permission to add them all to my mailing list unless I hear otherwise. I do not hear otherwise.

WC knows me. She prayed for me when I fall into despair a year ago. She honors me when I speak of calling God into my studio. She praises me to others. Dare I say she loves me. Dare I say that I love her.

I thought that you should know that WC lives in this world...

who should I know who lives in your world? Richard Shindell wanted someone to know about Balloon Man.

Balloon Man by Richard Shindell (sorry could not find the music but here are the lyrics...)

I'm standing outside on the balcony
balloon man is passing below
making his way to the park by the church
he goes where the little ones go
balloon man's a little bit ragged
his glasses are slightly askew
one lens is cracked and shoes never match
he might have a screw loose or two
and you're so far away
on the other side of the world
I thought you might like to know
that balloon man lives in it too
his rig is a marvel of equipoise
Leonardo might've designed
bamboo for the wide horizontal
pine for the vertical rise
he's wearing in a flag-bearers harness
he's holding the whole thing aloft
balloons all arrayed, he's a one man parade
if he ran he'd surely take off
and you're so far away
on the other side of the world
I just thought you should know
that balloon man lives in it too
but it's cold up here on the balcony
and it's time that I went back inside
balloon man waits for the light at the corner
I'll watch til he goes out of sight
but there's a wind that whips round the corner
and he's having a hell of a time
he staggers and it looks like he might just go over
but balloon man he puts up a fight
and you're so far away
on the other side of the world
I just thought you should know
that balloon man lives in it too

...