It was an odd refrain for an 8-year-old enjoying his carefree summer between chomping down a few scoops of ice cream, taking a bike ride, more ice cream, building dinosaurs, then more ice cream (Nanny had forgotten about the earlier servings). All the while, often a hymn carried through. But "Were You There" is the only one I remember because it confused my child brain. No, I wasn't there. I don't wanna be there. Sounds like a bad place to be... mmm ice cream.
She was accepted to the heavenly chorus nearly 30 years ago. It's interesting the things you'll remember decades later, like how she lost her mother to the Spanish Flu at 4 years old. Maybe she felt Jesus speaking uniquely to her, "Behold your mother." Or maybe she just enjoyed the hymn because it's beautiful. Unfortunately, at my age, tricking nanny into giving us more ice cream was more important than learning about her life.
Yet three decades later, her voice echoes through.
And if I was there when they crucified him, knowing myself, I'd be putting my name in the raffle for a seamless tunic. Then heading back to town for ice cream.
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