Locked gates

      As Hurricane Irma approached and preparations were being made, I knew that one of the first things to close would be Walter Jones Historical Park where the Mandarin Museum is.  My task was to notify those volunteers who would be serving on September 9 and tell them not to report for duty on that Saturday.

     As we began to hunker down, I heard that the City of Jacksonville was going to send workers to board the windows on the historic St. Joseph's Mission Schoolhouse for African American Children.

     And I knew that the gate to the park would be locked.

     The storm came.  Leaves, limbs and some trees fell to the ground inside the park.  It was not a pretty sight.  There was no power.  The gates remained locked. The Museum would not open on September 16.

     On Monday, September 18, Gabrielle Dempsey, the Facilities Chair on the Museum Board, assessed the situation.  The representative from the City said it should be cleared for us to go in and complete the cleanup by Thursday.  We have a big day planned for the 23rd.

     I sent a message to our volunteers.  We would have a work day on Thursday.  We arrived.  The gate was still locked.  so another message went out.

     We came back on Friday and the gate was still locked.

     We were a bit distressed.  It looked okay.

     But what could we not see?

     Maybe snakes, maybe limbs that would be the culprit causing a fall, maybe dirty water that had made its way up from the river.

     Surely there was a reason - even when we couldn't see it.

     I remembered 25 years ago when my parents were about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.  My Aunt Carolyn had an apartment adjacent to the dining room in our home.  My mother always just walked in without knocking.

     One day as she did that, she was shooed away. There seemed to be a party going on. She could not imagine.  Her feelings were really hurt.

     Until the day of their anniversary arrived.  My mother opened Aunt Carolyn's gift - a beautiful quilt with nine names embroidered (hers and daddy's; the four of us and our children.  Dan and Meg had not yet been born). My aunt and her friends obviously had something to "hide".

     Sometimes it's good not to know what's behind a locked door - or fence.

     Earlier today (9/22) we learned that the gate would be open on Saturday and we should proceed with "Smithsonian Museum Day Live" when all of our park's buildings will be open, the Maple Leaf divers will be aboard, the World War I Exhibit and many pieces of art that was done by Mandarin artisans available for the public to enjoy.  All this at no charge to our guests.  Of course, the frogman will be around - and there will be frogs and turtles for sale.   

     I will not be the one who checks for snakes.  It is my job to get the volunteers!

" For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known," (I Corinthians 13:12).

May your life be filled with enough sunshine

to make you appreciate the shadows