Surprised

"Do you miss us?" Jack asked.
We stopped in front of the surprise red lilies.
I smiled slowly.

"Yes.... do you miss us?" I answered.
"Yes. How have you been?" Jack continued.
"Good...good." I looked intently into his eyes.

Jack wanted to talk. Not polite greetings. He wanted to really know how Sơ Thủy and I were doing. I was surprised.

A month ago, I met Jack and his classmates at a Confirmation retreat. Most of his peers whole-heartedly joined in the singing, sharing, and activities. Jack observed from a distance. He was respectful but did not seem interested.

At one point, he asked me (the retreat guide), "Sơ, when do we get to chill?"
He was laying on his bunk bed and he was trying to write a letter to his parents.
Some other boys were also sprawled out on their beds.

They were searching to find words to match their thoughts and feelings.
They were struggling to express a relationship that did not seem real.
They had Vietnamese parents, whose love is real and painfully distant.

My dad, with his cigarette, flashed through my mind.

"Oh... soon... hang in there.... are you tired?" I replied.
"Yes, Sơ," he said slowly and mournfully. "We've done so much today."
"You're right... I know you are not use to having your Saturday with so much activities... but it is a retreat and it is not often that I get you... and so I hope you really encounter God during this weekend." Jack nodded gently and breathed a sigh of understanding resignation.

I wondered if Jack ever did meet God during the retreat.
The laughter, jokes, and hugs from the other youths told me that their hearts had been touched.
Joy is usually a reliable indicator of God's presence.

Then, he asked me this question yesterday.
"Sơ, do you miss us?"

Perhaps Jack did meet God.
By surprise.

No one could get rid of my smile.

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