October 28, 2008 - The Greatest Show on Earth

Two weeks ago Jen, Susan, Kathy, Sharon, and I were driving around farmy-Fennville during our girl's weekend when something glorious happened. As we were heading past a Methodist church on a lonely corner, four little people were waving us in with frantic joy. Jen turned into the lot and asked, "what are we pulling over for?" and the response flew out of all four grinning mouths simultaniously in a way that suggested we should have already known... "A TALENT SHOW!"

Now, coming from a deep history of talent-show-fever, Jen felt absolutely compelled and excited and filled with supportive talent-show-nurturing, so she pulled right in and parked.

We were then treated with the Greatest Show on Earth going on at that moment. If you were not there, then you missed God godding all over that churchyard. First, Jujuan gathered his crew into a huddle to go over the plan. There were orders given and ideas changing furiously and then, wow, Jujuan flipped and flew frontwards and backwards over bicycles and bodies that formed sloppy-cute pyramids. There were clumsy cartwheels and the proudest smiles on diverse and dirty faces. What a show! Jen took down their names with the hopes of employing them all someday at our dream farm. They would have signed contracts if she had them.

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When I offered a small collection of cash to Jujuan, I learned something about ego. Jujuan was hurt by the offer. He said they were not trying to get money, they just wanted to show us what they could do. I made an assumption that subtracted something from their innocent pride. I made it about us feeling good giving which stole from their good feeling of sharing. Sometimes it's really not about the money.