Two Terms Later

Again, a preface for this post that nothing is meant to be political, but a story of two people continuing a friendship.

As you can imagine, Zach became Barack Obama's biggest fan purely for the fact that Obama saw him and took the time to sit with him. Over time, this story of meeting the president (before he was president) was added to the collection of Zach stories we reminisce on during our phone calls, or over secret midnight snacks when I'm home to visit while our parents are asleep.

Fast forward to 2016. The election had finished, and we knew things would be changing come January 2017. My mom read somewhere that President Obama answered some letters personally. She asked Zach if he wanted to write a letter to his old friend, thanking him for all he had done, and especially for answering all of his questions many years earlier. Together they drafted an email and sent it off. After a while the letter was forgotten and we went on with our daily lives.

One day, my mom and I were sitting in the living room watching The Price is Right while sipping coffee. Dad was at work, and Zach was still fast asleep. We heard the mail being dropped off and mom got up to get it. I noticed when she came back in she hadn't sat back down, but was standing behind a ledge that we had separating our living room from the hallway, and was holding a large, light brown envelope which was addressed to Zachariah Jones. The return address had an unusual postage sticker over it, so we had no idea who it came from.

Aside from asking questions, tastes tests, and meeting any and everyone, Zach LOVES opening mail. It doesn't matter what it is or who it is from. Anything that comes in the mail and can be opened, Zach is all over it. Funny enough, he doesn't always really care what is IN the envelope, he just loves opening it. Once it's opened, it gets tossed on the counter. Knowing this, my parents know not to open the mail, especially if it is addressed to Zach, because that is his job.

We decided to try to pull back the odd postage label to see who it was from. As carefully as possible, we pulled the sides of the sticker up. After a few minutes, I look at my mom and said...the White House? In a moment a huge panic, I thought of all of the reasons why Zach might be getting mail from the White House and came up short. I wanted to open it right then, but before I could begin tearing the package, mom snatched it out of my hands and walked to Zach's room.

Very groggy, Zach slowly sat up, propped on an elbow to open his top secret mail. I watched as his eyes went from heavy with sleep to open in complete shock. Slowly, with the help from my mom, he pulled out a large, signed picture of Barack Obama, and then another picture of all of the Obama's, and then another picture of their dogs, and then a coloring book entitled "Let's Move", and finally, a letter.

Zach sprawled his new treasures across his sheets while I read this letter to him. He remembered. President Obama remembered Zach. Zach gazed at his pictures with tears rolling down his cheeks, "my friend Barack sent me pictures."

Being seen is something ever human strives for in life. Really seen. It isn't something that happens for many people, especially those like my brother. When it does happen, it holds a lot of weight.

The story of Zacchaeus shows us just how this notion of being seen is so important. Being a tax collector and abuser of this power, he was hated by all around him.

He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-figtree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

-Luke 19: 4-6

Jesus saw him. In that moment, Zacchaeus' life changed forever. He was now known. He was seen. He was remembered. Jesus didn't care for his status, He didn't care that Zacchaeus was hated. He saw Zacchaeus and met him where he was. From there Zacchaeus changed. He knew love, became an honest man and received new life.

Zach, from that day was changed. It still hurts when he is ignored. It still hurts when instead of a handshake, he gets a horrified look. But. My brother Zach has his friend Barack who sought him out of the crowd, and who sent him pictures many years later, and he couldn't be happier.

Friends, as a challenge for this week, seek out someone who has gone unnoticed and see them, talk to them, and maybe share a picture or a meal.

Until Monday,

Cheers!

Sam Jo.

Unti