I love springtime. Since my boyhood, it has been my favorite. I like the other ones too, but, ah, springtime! I love it in the air, and in the blossoms, and on my golf course, and on the calendar (yahoo, spring break!), and at my barbecue grill, and in the behavior of the ducks and the geese, and especially in the weather. I love it most of all on my back porch.
My back porch is the perfect intersect for affirming my relationship with my home and with my world. Too much of one and you are a recluse—too much of the other and you are a gadabout. Isn’t loving your indoors and your outdoors kind of a parallel to loving God and loving your neighbor? Somewhere in there exists a parallel—you have to weave them together—that is an artistic life.
On most back porches, your eyes are drawn outward and upward. Your joy meter clicks up a level, no matter how low it was running. When you sit down on a back porch, you have to slow down—most of us need to slow down. Did I mention the ambience? The springtime breeze, just a hint of chill still in it…the incredible flowery scent…the inevitable fascination with watching wild things make their way in this world…the wonderful way that light disappears from dusk til dark..the sight and/or sound of humankind.
Now start to add in our human touches—
The food! It is a natural fact—if I bring food from the outside in (the grill to the kitchen), I am exponentially disposed to view it with more enthusiasm. When you accidentally cook it just right—it is a revelation in haute cuisine. And if you burn it—the family is growing spiritually, brother.
Music! I am often torn between listening to the natural sounds and putting on music. Ah, but when I feel like music, it is wonderful! I have said it before, but being able to find and play almost any tune that comes floating into your head is a technological miracle. My Bluetooth speaker and my Spotify are as essential to my back porch as the grill is.
Phone calls! I am more comfortable…I don’t know if it’s the privacy or the ambience or the potential distractions if my mind starts to drift. I am not a huge enthusiast of talking on the phone—but I am definitely more receptive on the porch.
The company! I like it when my wife joins me on the back porch…it’s kind of a signal to shutting down the day. I’ll fix us a drink, and we’ll visit, and we’ll observe the wonderland, and we’ll relax. We don’t entertain that much, but it is my favorite place to hang out with most anybody. It works for the grown-ups and the kids…I recently bought a small firepit, and the lure of s’mores on the back porch is irresistible to almost anyone.
Finally, prayer! Of course, you can pray anywhere. But for me it is just a little easier to feel His presence when I am out back.
I have only had four significant back porches in my life, the four homes I’ve owned. I’m sure there are others from my childhood, but they are encoded in my memory.
The first is the one where I raised my children (see photo). It is the smallest, drabbest, most unimpressive of them all—but damn, there were so many magical moments out there! It is hallowed ground.
The second back porch was where my children were teenagers. Part of it was screened-in, and part of it was not. Definitely metaphorical—I am certain all my children have more intense and impactful memories of that porch than I do…but I too have mine (I preferred the outside to the screened-in).
The third porch was my retirement porch. It was there I gave my heart to God, because I realized how merciful and gentle and kind He had been with me my entire life. I used to stand on the edge of the porch at night—wonderful tree silhouettes in the moonlight—and look up at His universe and marvel.
The fourth is probably my last back porch—I’m okay with that. I love this one. It is more like Rear Window than Out of Africa, but I loved both movies. And I do enjoy watching the golfers go by.
Have I communicated my love affair? I see it as a portal—like everything else about us, we can improve our states of consciousness. No one has to be stuck in a mood. The back porch is a spiritual place. I find it is easy to get centered—to see the big picture—to connect with the One who is everywhere all the time. Getting centered will always lead to looking outward. And then you take the food off the grill and bring it inside for others to enjoy.
Enjoyed this a bunch. I remember all of your back porches. I have never had such a fondness for any of my back porches, but now see them in a new light. Probably the one with the best memories has to be the house on Doral with the hot tub. The Debbe back porch has more to do with the pool and swimming with Jason. I also enjoyed the one on Via Balboa. But none of them have a spiritual connection like you have with yours. Again, enjoyed reading this!
that was a great read! I absolutely love the pic. You are a grateful man, God loves you for it.