Prayer for a Flower

Postscript to the Theology of Friendship

A PHOTO OF A FLOWER WHEN I HAD A CAMERA WITH ME (2003)
NIKON FE2 + TOKINA 35-135/3.5-5.6 + KODAK SUPRA 400

An awkwardly funny thing happened in a serious meeting among pastors.

I was late.

This happened when I was still working and teaching in a small Bible college and a phase in my life where I would run off to Tagaytay City into a convent to sit and pray every Saturday morning.  I would drive off while it was still dark and arrive at the convent just to catch the sunrise.  It is a Roman Catholic convent and one of the first thing I had to unlearn as a Protestant is shut my brain up to listen.

Sit in silence.  Let the silence be.

But then there was this meeting in the afternoon clear across the metropolis so by noon I was driving back and I was late.

So why was I late?  I explained that I got carried away in my prayer time that I lost track of time.  You know—time flies when you’re having fun.

How long was I praying?  I was not really sure, partly also was the travel time.  After all it was in a convent in Tagaytay City and the meeting was in Quezon City.

“What? You travelled to Tagaytay City just to pray?  That sounds serious. What were you praying for?”

Uh…you see there was this…er…

“Sounds serious, are you struggling with something?”

Not really…it’s just…

“Sounds serious, brother, don’t worry we’re here for you, and you can share it in your own time.”

Well, it’s not really that…I was praying for a flower.  I was sitting on this kid's swing set and saw this flower; it was pretty and I did not have my camera with me so I thanked God for it.  Ordinarily I would bring a camera along but I forgot to buy film the day before.  And I figured that it would not be around for long so I relished it the whole morning.

“The whole morning?!!”

Yes—the whole morning.

“You drove all the way to Tagaytay City, just to pray for a flower the whole morning?!!”

I guess—that was what my friend showed me.



MARYRIDGE (2007)
PENTAX *ist DS + SMCP FA 28-105/4-5.6 IF

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