back at l'arche

when i walked into gégé's room it was quite dark. gégé was sitting on his bed holding a sock studiously in his hand, swinging it to and fro, the way he does.  the first thing he did when i sat down next to him was to regard me studiously.  then reach out and touch my arm, then lean over so his head was touching mine - that really touched me.  it touched me because gégé was wont to not pay any attention to me, like when i would say "gégé, lift thy foot up" (to put on his sock) or: "gégé, bois de l'eau s'il te plait;  ça te fera du bien."   it will do thee good little brother.   aide-moi a t'aider.  help me to help you.   next minute after lifting him off the bed i notice that the caca had spilled from his nappy and become smeared on my trousers.  i am striding along the corrider, looking for towels for wiping dirty things, feeling good because what i am doing is essential.  little brother gégé, like a baby, he needs me.  i was going to write to finlay and encourage him: "maybe volunteering at a l'arche community would not be a bad idea at all if you are looking for a purpose and a direction and a groundedness concrete actions what i am doing is what needs to be done."   i thought again: what about volunteering at l'arche?  i liked all the little fond familiar détails that come from living together in community. familiar scenes like jean claude who slides into the living room in his wheelchair and reminds me to close the curtains now that night has fallen.  jean-claude, always paying attention to the détails.

an experience.

i could not stay at l'arche for long because of the non-essential daily practises arising from being part of an institution.  institutions - how can one avoid them?  i feel that maybe they are to be avoided.  the cupboard full of plastic containers full of chemical products to be applied liberally to all the floor surfaces before ticking the box on the sheet to say: oui, le sol a été bien lavé. 

laurent and i took a walk around the village this morning, past the fields with the horses and the big clumps of nettles.  the late september sun was shining wanly.  until lau-lau became anxious and wanted to head home.  he does not like straying too far from home, despite my encouragements: "regard là-bas lau-lau, qu'est-ce que c'est beau!  tu veux aller voir l'eau lau-lau?"

i am thinking of going to paris tomorrow.  on saturday there will be a big parade to celebrate 50 years of l'arche.  they say there will probably be more than three thousand people.  everyone is encouraged to wear colourful clothes - not black.  there will be music and food and, significantly, jean vanier, the founder of l'arche communities will be there to give some words.  ah oui, ça sera genial ça.