Just a Walk in the Park on 9-11

The afternoon has arrived when I have my grandson all to myself.  I am in a state of grandma euphoric bliss.  Mommy is at work. Daddy is napping after working all night. One of my very best friends, the baby's other grandma, is out of town. The great-grandparents have gone home to rest. Uncle is in the coffee shop studying.  The baby is all mine!  After feeding him, I buckle Joey into his stroller and off we go to explore my neighborhood for the very first time...together.

It's just him and me on a glorious day.

We head off to the nearest park which is in the center of a Jewish neighborhood.  We see a big gathering of families together. Women in ornate burkas, men in conversation.  Ramadan is over. Maybe they are celebrating.  Where are the young children?  We head over to the playground.

Aha! There they are.  The Jewish kids and the Muslim kids playing, exuberantly laughing, able to jump on the swings and the merry-go-round, cooperating together in play as if they've always been friends.

I spot the only other adults at the playground sitting on a bench, an Orthodox Jewish couple watching their daughter play on the swing with two other little girls. I know the couple is Jewish because the woman is wearing a typical headcovering often seen among religious Jewish women.  I strike up a conversation and they point out their daughter to me. She is the one in the blue sweater. We laugh about how much fun these Jewish and Muslim kids are having together and listen to their innocent conversation as they inquire about each other.  They are clearly have a great time. We enjoy watching them enjoying themselves. Joey is fascinated from his vantage point in the stroller listening to their high-pitches voices and observing the swinging motion.

After awhile, a tall male adult walks up in traditional Muslim attire and calls all his kids back to the picnic.  A beautiful park on a beautiful day with our children. Somehow we all feel connected just wanting our kids to be happy in this world. 

What else is there?