The Voice called her name and she knew it was pointless to resist. On shaky legs she approached the podium, heart racing and mind searching to find the words she knew she had to say. When she finally willed herself to look up, her heart swelled at the sight. She saw the smooth wood of the old piano and the dust on the window ledges. She saw the arched ceiling and the worn carpet. The girl looked out over the tiny sanctuary and the even tinier crowd and twenty-three pairs of eyes stared back at her, each one different. Some of them were creased around the edges with signs of lives lived; some were smooth and clear. Some had been smudged with make-up; some with dirt and sand. Some were as familiar as her own; still some were completely new to her. No matter the size or shape, they all said the same thing: we see you.
She looked into those eyes, those faces, and knew exactly what to say. The words were handed to her and she allowed them tumble from her lips as she took it all in. Her knees still wobbled and her voice still shook, but her heart was at peace. She finished her simple story and made it back to the wooden pew, squeezing between those she loved.
This then, she thought, is the Kingdom of Heaven.
