A Walk through Kensington Garden

A walk through Kensington Garden in London is to experience the beauty, diversity, and unity of the families of the world. We arrived at our hotel, shared an early dinner together and decided to take a walk through Kensington Garden. As we stepped into the garden, we stepped into a world that was not America or the United Kingdom, Indiana or England, London or Evansville. We left our governments and our boundaries, our economy and our social status behind and stepped into a beautiful world of diversity and beauty.

Three Muslim children are enjoying the Carousal. They are laughing and waving to their mother who kneels in the grass nearby, clad in her black Burka that covers her small framed body from head to toe. She waves back, happy to see her children enjoying this moment in Kensington Garden.

Through the eyes of love you are perfect,
Through the eyes of love you are free
Through the eyes of love you are innocent,
I am you and you are me.

We walk on by and see a pond in the distance. We make our way to the pond and two young lovers who look so much like two Americans in love. They are casually dressed they try to stay distant from others walking through the park and as they pass they speak sweet words of love in their native language. They are happy, they are walking briskly arm in arm, they are in love.

Through the eyes of love you are perfect
Through the eyes of love you are free
Through the eyes of love you are innocent
I am you and you are me.

As we make our way to the pond, there is a group of college student gathering to play a game of soccer. There are males and females, dressed in t-shirts, shorts and slacks. As we pass by, we notice they are Chinese each one with light olive skin and straight black hair. They are thrilled to be together playing their game of soccer, talking to one another in Chinese and enjoying the beautiful day.

Through the yes of love you are perfect,
Through the eyes love you are free
Through the eyes of love you are innocent
I am you and you are me.

We come nearer to the pond and notice many swans with their cygnets nearby. We prepare our cameras and two fair skinned siblings, blond, and blue-eyed, see the grace and beauty of the swans too. They grab one another by the arms and speaking in their Scandinavian language they make their way to the edge of the pond to observe the swans and their babies. They like us are thrilled to see the cygnets paddle their way through the algae in search of something to eat.

Through the eyes of love you are perfect,
Through the eyes of love you are free
Through the eyes of love you are innocent,
I am you and you are me.

A young adult of Spanish descent seems to be traveling alone. Carly and I are standing nearby the water's edge watching the swans swim gracefully through the pond in Kensington Gardens. The young lady wants so much to have her picture taken in front of the pond with the swans. She motions to us to take her picture, we comply, we laugh and we share this precious moment with the young lady who like us was thrilled to be in London, at the pond in Kensington Garden, watching the swans and the cygnets working their way through the water's edge, scraping up algae along the way.

Through the eyes of love you are perfect
Through the eyes of love you free
Through the eyes of love you are innocent,
I am you and you are me.

Slowly we make our way back to the main gate. We pass by a middle-aged black woman. She is sitting alone with her simple dress and a shawl around her shoulders to protect her from the cooling evening air. She could be from Kenya, Zimbabwe, or maybe she's always lived in London. We don't know for sure. As we approach the bench we notice that she is not alone, she is having a picnic with her dog. They are happy to share this moment together -- master and dog in perfect harmony -- enjoying time together.

Through the eyes of love you are perfect
Through the eyes of love you are free
Through the eyes of love you are innocent,
I am you and you are me.

Such is our walk through Kensington Garden on a warm summer evening. As I babble on, I am ever so mindful that life is not about being an American or a European. Life is not about the wars we've fought or continue to fight for myriad of reasons. Life is not about whether we're a third world, Western, or a developing nation. Life is about people like you and me who in God's eyes are perfect and free, innocent and beautiful, a creation not of mud and spittle, but of a heart, eager to share the joys and passions of the human family. We are one, created perfect and free because God would have it no other way.