Conversations For Transformation: Essays Inspired By The Ideas Of Werner Erhard

Conversations For Transformation

Essays By Laurence Platt

Inspired By The Ideas Of Werner Erhard

And More

Christian Rocks!

San Francisco International Airport, California, USA

February 3, 2013


This essay, Christian Rocks!, is the fifth in a septology about my son Christian:
  1. In The Face Of Commitment
  2. Like Father
  3. From Stick Figures To IMAX 3D
  4. To Get Out Of A Rut, Be  In The Rut
  5. Christian Rocks!
  6. You'll Hear The Rumble
  7. Talk About It
in that order.

It is also the prequel to a group of five written in New Zealand / Fiji, June 2013:
  1. Godzone
  2. You'll Hear The Rumble
  3. B-Grade Hotel
  4. The Rain Is Coming, Mr Laurence
  5. Is Fiji Paradise?
in that order.

I am indebted to my son Christian Laurence Platt who inspired this conversation.


Christian and I walk away from the Air New Zealand desk at San Francisco International Airport, having checked his big bag all the way to Christchurch where he'll attend Canterbury University, leaving only a small backpack and rollaboard  for him to manage on his twelve hour flight. We look around for a Starbucks  for a final cup of coffee and a frappuccino, and some talk before his flight boards. It's a moment of great triumph  for him. This is more than merely a victory  over the past: it's a rout.

His visa, passport, and travel paperwork are handled. His packing is handled. His bags are handled. His academic program is handled. His finances are handled. His tickets, itinerary, and lodging are handled. It's perfect. There's nothing left to do except savor this pertinent moment, to bask in this celebration of the start of his great adventure with him.

<aside>

When I tell a good friend of mine the latest essay in this Conversations For Transformation internet series is titled Christian Rocks!, she says "Oh I get it. You mean Christian rocks like spiritual nuggets?".

It takes a moment for the penny to drop. Christian rocks ... spiritual nuggets ... Christian rocks ... spiritual nuggets ... Oh now  I get it. "That's pretty good" I say. "But no" I tell her, "Christian Rocks! is about my son Christian. He really rocks!".

Besides which, spiritual  isn't a useful distinction for me. Either everything  is spiritual ... or nothing is.

<un-aside>

He'll be halfway around the world by morning, twenty one hours ahead  of me. Said another way, he'll be three hours behind me but one day ahead. Once he's there, there's Skype  for face to face instantaneous free  telecommunication - until I visit him in June when we'll explore New Zealand and the Fiji islands together. I've always maintained the saving grace of the internet, born ironically of the war machine and pornography, may prove to be its facilitation of instant communication between anywhere and anywhere.

He's calm - a satisfied, palpable calm. He knows what he's accomplished. He knows what he's put together, and it's awesome. I deliberately took a back seat to his planning, only making my presence known when he asked for my advice, or when I saw something on which he didn't have his full attention which would behove him to have his full attention on. He did it all himself - systematically, methodically, completely.

It's been said a great adventure begins long before the adventure itself begins. A great adventure begins the moment you commit yourself to it. Christian committed himself to to this and has been planning it at for least six months. Now his moment is here, and we're sitting on chairs in an uncrowded area of the airport, sipping coffee and frappuccino, not saying much and yet saying it all: "You're my son. You did it. You triumphed. You're a champion. You rock!, and I love You.".


Communication Promise E-Mail | Home

© Laurence Platt - 2013 through 2016 Permission