What Religion Is

I was driving Dedra's van which is really a closet on wheels ... packed with clothes, music, electric pianos, posted notes stuck over everything and other things that I cannot identify. In addition to most everything she owns, Dedra's van was packed with girls of all ages. Making our way to the Tybee Island nursing home, we ran in because we were late.

As though nursing homes aren't confusing enough, the Tybee one makes it especially challenging because there are two different buildings that sit on opposite sides of the street. I think that this is a "census control" measure. When the place starts getting too full, they make residents shuffle back and forth across the street so tourists looking for the Lighthouse can ... bring the census back into a manageable number.

Inside my dear friend Chuck Courtnay was set up to play live music. His keyboard was at the front of the room that smelled like antiseptic and shit. Crowded with all sorts of people ... black and white, rich and poor, loved and unloved, visited or permanently alone ... able to walk or forever seated in a wheelchair. The staff all wore bright colors. Everybody else wore grey. The sprinkler system sprayed sadness upon everyone.

Cheryl met us inside obviously glad that we'd actually showed up. Dedra, Sarah and three little girls mixed into the crowd with her. Chuck started playing good old fashioned rock-and-roll ... and the most amazing things happened.

The crippled rose out of wheelchairs and moved with smiles.

The blind saw things as the way they used to be.

The mute made noises of glee as they swayed back and forth.

The dead came back to life.

I danced with a little old lady with white hair. "Don't let me fall. Don't let me fall," she repeated throughout the song.

"Don't let go," I told her.

She smiled as I twirled her around.

When the song finished she looked at me in all seriousness and asked, "Is there cake?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

I stopped and took it all in. Chuck had worked himself into a sweat but was giving these people everything inside of him. Sarah was beautifully doing the "Electric Slide." Maddie was hugging a person in a wheelchair and confused as to whether it was a man or a woman. Cheryl was dancing with someone. Dedra was dancing with herself inspiring everyone confined around her. Cass was smiling at people and making them melt. Laurel was watching me watch them.

This is what religion really is. Everything in Scripture ... pick your version of Scripture, it doesn't matter which ... the word was becoming flesh. People were dancing as David danced. The Red Sea of Sadness that permanently rained upon them was parted. Some cried. Others smiled. One kept asking for cake.

When it ended we were a pool of sweat in community with Chuck. The girls passed out Teddy Bears to everyone who wanted one.

"Thank you for the Teddy Bear," an old woman asked, "but can I have one of the little girls?"

And that's how it ended.

But before it did ... heaven had come on earth ... for just a little bit.