The March 13/14 meeting between Ashley Smith and Brian Nichols reads more like a literary and cinematic play book than a hostage crisis. What began as a rampage of violence in an Atlanta courthouse, all too familiar, continued as a nationwide manhunt for a man who was quietly and calmly moving among and around those looking for him. This story took its startling turn away from familiar patterns when Nichols forced his way into Smith's apartment in order to take a shower. And when Ashley Smith's bravery, calmness, focus, compassion, sincerity, humanity, and simply her graciousness began steering the story.

Read Alan Sullivan's reflective piece about "one peace-loving woman, bearing witness to Christ [who] helped calm a fugitive murderer." He notes that "Easter is at hand, and this story of redemption is something people passionately want to believe" and he points out that Nichols' need for a shower had enormous "symbolism associated with it" and that it would seem Nichols "was already yearning to be clean, in every sense." The symbolism is a little heavy but it's hard to resist or avoid, especially when you hear Smith's soothing voice. It's easy to understand her effect on Nichols as she "proceeded to read from the Bible and talk to the guilt-stricken criminal about the meaning of life."

In case there wasn't enough drama in the whole episode, add the fact that Smith had recently begun to emerge from a difficult adolescence and early adulthood. Her husband was stabbed to death four years ago, literally dying in her arms, and she'd been through other rough moments. In coming out of them, she'd begun reading Rick Warren's Purpose-Driven Life. She apparently asked Nichols if she could read to him from the book and he agreed. What a powerful image that is - the quiet young woman reading aloud to the angry, exhausted and miserable young man. Such a stark contrast to the horrors of the day before. He listened as Smith pointed out that he would have to be punished for what he had done. She never sweet-talked, never pretended things would turn out fine. She said he needed to turn himself in, needed not to kill anyone else. She said that God loves everyone, sinners as well as saints, Nichols too, not in spite of our sins but warts and all. Rarely have the tenets of trust in God been so vivid. It feels like being in the audience while divinity is playing on stage.

As for the title of today's entry, it comes from my mother, an indomitable optimist about the universe. She often repeated the phrase. The Smith and Nichols encounter would have made her very happy.

Labels: juxtapositions, modern culture