We watched our granddaughter play volleyball…”There she is!” we both exclaimed
when she stepped onto the court…when she got into the game.
She only played a short time…didn’t even have time to mess her hair
The ball never came her way, but that didn’t matter…we didn’t care.
Her team won the game!…and though it was sad to watch the other team lose
We were happy!
What a beautiful day!
Then we went home and watched the news….
A child wearing a home-made gas mask in Syria…
her father’s face so worn and drawn.
They were pulling bodies out of the rubble…
after 7 years their war goes on….
7 years of war…cities destroyed by hatred…fighting and bombs
children who may be lost forever from their dads, their homes, their moms….
And we thought how lucky it is for our granddaughter…
playing volleyball so innocent and free
while halfway across the world there are children not as fortunate as she.
Who are running for their lives…while around them building fall
Who I imagine would give anything…to be playing volleyball.
And we’ll be happy watching her next game…
happy to be there win or lose…
Forgetting for a moment the rest of the world…
until we go home and watch the news.