Sailing True North

from St. Francis de Sales from The Devout Life

"Each day is unique. There are cloudy days and sunny; wet days and dry; windy days and calm. The seasons roll by as day turns into night and night into day. This variety makes beauty. It's the same way with your life. There are ups and downs; no two days, no two hours, are ever exactly alike.

A compass needle always points north regardless of the ship's course. It we aspire toward God, the confusing changes of life will not unsteady us. “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” (Romans 14:8). Nothing can separate us from God's love. When little bees are caught in a storm, they take hold of small stones so that they can keep their balance when they fly. Our firm resolution to stay with God is like stability to the soul amid the rolling waves of life."

We are ever encountering more and more “confusing changes of life”. Our course has become more challenging and dangerous, yet we steer away from “true north”. Is it, seriously, any wonder why our lives are fraught with confusion, frustration, doubt, anger? And, to help us along, even in the United States, our religious freedom is threatened. Specifically, to name one instance, wiith the enforcement of Obamacare, our fundamental religious freedom is being compromised. But no one has the right to mandate acceptance and coercion of practices entirely in opposition to the (Catholic) Church’s dogma, or to arrogantly tell members of any church how they are to live their faith. Not even the president of the United States. A directive such as this has no place in a health care coverage bill. Indeed, it has no place in any government policy of any free country. The term “freedom of religion” has now (by the present administration) increasingly become “freedom of worship”. Nitpicking? I don’t think so. It is a deliberate, subtle change in language; and little changes such as this can be used to change perceptions of rights or freedoms. It is just such subtleties of which we must be congnizant.

Ashley Samelson, (International Programs Director for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty) stated in an article for “First Things” magazine:

"To anyone who closely follows prominent discussion of religious freedom in the diplomatic and political arena, this linguistic shift is troubling. The reason is simple. Any person of faith knows that religious exercise is about a lot more than freedom of worship. It's about the right to dress according to one's religious dictates, to preach openly, to evangelize, to engage in the public square. Everyone knows that religious Jews keep kosher, religious Quakers don't go to war, and religious Muslim women wear headscarves-yet "freedom of worship" would protect none of these acts of faith."

 

But it is not only the government which demeans and thwarts spirituality. We distance ourselves from God, and ignore His every attempt to redeem our lives. We pray constantly, "God, why do you let certain things happen? Why don't you help us?! How can you let "this" happen to me? What kind of a God are you?" We continually condemn Him for not changing, not interceding, or saving us from what ever consequences arise from the choices we make. We expect God to fulfill our every desire, and are furious, to the point of abandoning Him, when He doesn’t; yet we have no room for him in our lives, save to display His Word as art (as long as it is not on public ground). We do not have the time to seek Truth and reason and guidance and understanding from it because our lives are so busy. God is OK, in His proper place. But, really, let’s not take Him too seriously. What a slap in the face to the One who called us into being.

Further, we murder our unborn and call it "reproductive rights"; homosexuality is rampant, but we call that "civil rights", as if who we choose as a sexual partner is, in some distorted way, a basis/criteria for whether we should receive housing, employment, legal rights and the like. Not even taking into consideration the rightness or wrongness of homosexuality, how absurd is this? And yet, there have been recent attempts to equate homosexuality with slavery. Really? I shudder to think what is next in this arena.

We allow, and even welcome evil into our lives. Perhaps we don't recognize it, or do not want to recognize it. It enters our lives so gradually, that we are not even aware. We simply accept more and more because it is constantly being hammered into us that we have no right to tell other people what to do. Inevitably, we find even “devout” Christians believing and saying “Well, I don’t agree with it, but who am I to say someone else is wrong?”. There are, however, “religious issues” which cross over into “human rights issues” and violate nature; and these cannot be ignored. But we are so afraid to speak truth. When we live a homosexual life, we are supposedly only “choosing an alternative lifestyle”. But when we do not defend the integrity and uniqueness of marriage between a man and a woman, we may as well be promoting homosexuality. When we abort a child, we say it is our “right”. Do we even spend a second pondering the right of the unborn child we have murdered so that we do not have to be burdened with the “mistake” we have made? We rarely speak out against pornography, because after all, we are all adults, and “everybody” dabbles now and then; and we have a right to live our lives the way we choose. And people are so afraid/hesitant to speak against another’s “rights”. But I believe people, especially Christians, are morally obligated to take a stand against such intrinsic evil. The more we allow evils to pervade society, the larger and more perverted they become. The more we accept, the more society is endangered. Our acceptance of anything and everything is much like the (proverbial) frog which was put into a pot of boiling water. It leapt out immediately recognizing that it must escape the danger. But when the frog was put into a pot of cool, pleasant water, and the water was gradually heated to boiling, the frog did not become aware of the threat until it was too late. 

 
Perhaps we feel that some things are none of our business, that they do not touch us or affect us. But when we fail to speak against things that are wrong, it is the same as saying that they are OK. And therein lies the rub. Little by little, things once thought of as abhorrent, are fast becoming accepted, commonplace in society and, “really, not that bad”. Before long, we will find ourselves asking “How did this happen?”.

And what of our children? What are we teaching them by what we do or fail to do? (“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6) Are we teaching them at all? Do we guide and instruct them about what is right or wrong? Or do we just let them drift in the chaos we have created to (hopefully) find their own way? Our children are our responsibility. It does not take a community, a school, society, a village or a government to raise them. It is up to us as parents to provide them with example, discipline and instruction that will be a compass throughout their lives. We can no longer afford to float along in a comforting pool of lukewarm water, believing all is well; we can no longer ignore the true north reading of our own compass. The salvation of generations depends upon it.

 

The Maine Adventure

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Today

 Video Music Selection: "Through the Dark", by Helen Jane Long

Today I set out on a walk through Logan County Ohio. I was armed with a camera, Helen Jane Long on the ipod, hot tears and cold raindrops, and a few prayers: Of thanksgiving for what had been, joy for the life I now live, and petition for what I hope my life to become.

I am in that proverbial "autumn of my life"; and sometimes the way becomes cold, frightening, confusing and unclear. Or, perhaps it is just hidden by all the tumult in the world.

But not today. Today I could see clearly, right through the low, dark clouds of this October sky. Today, I wasn't cold but rejuvenated by the day's coolness and the refreshing rain upon my face. Today, I could see and hear the beauty in the world I sometimes miss. Today, I was alone, but I was not abandoned. Today, I was not confused about which road to take. Today, I knew just where I was going, and with whom.

 

I share with you some of the beauty of today's images. God bless all, and be with you this day.

 

 

 

 

The Devil is in the Details

A growing number of Catholic bishops have said they will not comply with the Obamacare mandate the administration implemented in January. The mandate forces religious employers to pay for birth control and contraception (including drugs that may cause abortions) in their health care plans:

"We cannot – we will not comply with this unjust law. People of faith cannot be made second-class citizens. We are already joined by our brothers and sisters of all faiths and many others of good will in this important effort to regain our religious freedom. Our parents and grandparents did not come to these shores to help build America’s cities and towns, its infrastructure and institutions, its enterprise and culture, only to have their prosperity stripped of their God given rights. In generations past, the Church has always been able to count on the faithful to stand up and protect her sacred rights and duties. I hope she can trust on this generation of Catholics to do the same. Our children and grandchildren deserve nothing less."

Setting all politics aside (and we must if we are to truthfully and effectively approach and address such intrinsically right-wrong issues), the citizens of the United States should be extremely concerned and wary of what is transpiring, little by little, within the present administration. Make no mistake about it, this particular issue is not simply about contraception. It is not a political party loyalty issue. It is not a Catholic issue. It is an American issue. It is a conscience issue, and it infringes upon the rights of every individual, regardless of religious expression, regardless of one's stand on contraception or abortion; and no man, no government has the right to interfere in a relationship between a man, his conscience and his God. No government has the right to force its citizens to violate conscience. No government has the authority to force its citizens to choose between faith and livelihood.  Simply speaking, no government has the right to interfere with the teachings of the church: "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22: 15 - 21).

The government’s responsibility is to adhere to the Constitution and secure its citizens’ rights, not to enforce pseudo safeguards under the guise of “freedoms” and “services” and “women’s health issues” which are in actuality ultimately designed to chip away at our God-given rights. But this administration cares nothing about God-given rights inherent to all men. This administration prefers engaging in semantics. This administration is abusing its power.

Furthermore, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”. Does this sound familiar? It should. It is the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States—that same Constitution to which the President of the United States affirms loyalty at his inauguration:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Really Mr. Obama?

WORTH NOTING

The following ponderous statements (put forth in July of 1968) bear some serious consideration, not only as regards the so-called "contraception mandate" of Obamacare, but in discerning to whom we (should or should not) allow moral direction.

Excerpts from the ENCYCLICAL LETTER HUMANAE VITAE

OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF PAUL VI

"17. Finally, careful consideration should be given to the danger of this power passing into the hands of those public authorities who care little for the precepts of the moral law. Who will blame a government which in its attempt to resolve the problems affecting an entire country resorts to the same measures as are regarded as lawful by married people in the solution of a particular family difficulty? Who will prevent public authorities from favoring those contraceptive methods which they consider more effective? Should they regard this as necessary, they may even impose their use on everyone. It could well happen, therefore, that when people, either individually or in family or social life, experience the inherent difficulties of the divine law and are determined to avoid them, they may give into the hands of public authorities the power to intervene in the most personal and intimate responsibility of husband and wife."

Quite prophetic, no?

"23. And now We wish to speak to rulers of nations. To you most of all is committed the responsibility of safeguarding the common good. You can contribute so much to the preservation of morals. We beg of you, never allow the morals of your peoples to be undermined. The family is the primary unit in the state; do not tolerate any legislation which would introduce into the family those practices which are opposed to the natural law of God. For there are other ways by which a government can and should solve the population problem—that is to say by enacting laws which will assist families and by educating the people wisely so that the moral law and the freedom of the citizens are both safeguarded."

The conviction of the founding fathers, held in the highest regard, was that all men, all governments are subject to the Word of God. This was of utmost importance to them; so much so, that Thomas Jefferson begins The Declaration of Independence

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."

This is no small matter. And it is not an issue solely unto itself. It is the beginning of, what I feel to be, a most difficult path ahead for people of faith. We often ask ourselves “What would I do if…?”. The time to answer is upon us.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

As I enter the autumn of (my) life I tend to focus on the coming winter rather than allowing myself to enjoy and participate fully in the beauty of autumn. And what a shame it is when I yield to that darker side, for autumn has always been my fondest season, even as a child!

Yet I believe that each moment in our lives is a gift; the good, the bad and especially the ugly. We can make of them what we will. Take them for granted, disconnect them from our lives as just "things" that happen, discount them as unimportant; fear them, hate them for the discomfort and inconvenience they cause, mindlessly plod through them, blame them on “Someone” simply being mean or cruel or uncaring, or even wish them away. I have done most of these things at one time or another. I'm certain everyone has. It is human nature, but is it wise? I, myself, have become more concerned, at times, about the state of the world and, more intimately, the state of my life. I seem more anxious at times, wanting things to be just so, wanting and needing to make amends, to live life to the fullest, to “fight the good fight”. It is only natural to feel concern and sadness in one's life, but it can sometimes be difficult not to let everything build into a full blown weltschmerz!

I don't think we live life to the fullest, add clarity or glean the importance of a moment in time (thereby discovering how awesome life is) and reap its benefits by just tossing it aside because we don't understand it or find it distasteful. If we try to hide from the bad and the ugly, we end up not recognizing what is good (you can't have one without the other, because all of these moments are part of a whole, and each is relative to the other). We don't appreciate the value of life and lose enjoyment in even the smallest of pleasures; we become bitter and resentful and sad; Our lives are made up of the amalgamation of all three. Each of these moments, our moods, experiences and cherished—or not so cherished—memories helps us to grow into the people we are meant to be.

There is comfort in knowing that each of us has a purpose, that we are not designed to go through life alone, mucking our way through the bad and ugly to realize that purpose and find the good. ("Therefore encourage one another and build each other up..." 1 Thessalonians 5:11). We have others with whom we are connected in so many ways we do not always recognize, and who are there to help us, sometimes in ways they do not even realize. To me, life is no accident. We have a watchful Guide, leading us on the paths we have chosen to travel. What better encouragement for embracing all the facets of our extraordinary human nature. So, perhaps a proverbial word to the wise?

It is no mere adage that time (seemingly) passes more quickly as we age. It has become so precious, and while there are days less perfect than others, I will never wish away any day, no matter how bad or ugly it may seem. All of my life I have heard “with age comes wisdom”. It could be that it is more accurate to say that as we age we become more aware, thereby learning the value of time. Perhaps therein lies the wisdom.

Synthesis 

Autumn has come quickly
It both startles and assures me
Hence I shall not be afraid,
For the path I have chosen remains
In perfect harmony with the seasons—
Unified, though each a part unto its own
Bursting forth in fluctuating hues,
From brilliant, coolest argentine
To the fiery red heat of vermilion

This mélange of moods and colors,
Experiences, memories and remnants
Of an earlier time varies from day to day,
Molding, reshaping who I am,
Enhancing my simple existence—
As a wild pumpkin might adorn
A quiet woodland patch of green

*(Along with this entry, I have made the decision to change the name of this blog from "Rantings of a Mad Poet" to "Menagerie". Since it is a collection of writings, poetry, thoughts and emotions, questions and, hopefully, some answers, I felt it should be aptly named. A complete collection of this blog may be found in book form in the bookstore at Blurb. Volumes I and II are available for purchase, and Volume III is in production now. I hope you like the name and enjoy the new setup)

*(Thank you to Connie Marcum-Wong, moderator of the PFT [Poetry for Thought] poetry group, for her poetry challenge suggestion to use the words mélange, remnant, argentine, vermilion, path, harmony, adorn, woodland, pumpkin, unified in a poem. These lovely and inspirational words led me to write "Synthesis", which, in turn, led me to deeper thinking, which led me to this blog entry. All of these actions together became, for me, another illustration that we are all somehow (and, at times, unknowingly) connected.

Hello, Nature Calling

Being born a Jack-A-Bee (Beagle/Jack Russell mix), Bernie is not lacking in quirks. If laughter is the best medicine, my husband and I are quite healthy, as not a day goes by that we have not chuckled at something she has done.

Going outside for nature's call has produced a series of very funny behaviors. When it's a simple matter of watering the grass, Bernie will usually stand at the door staring at it, nose pointed upwards, willing it to open; or she just stares at me "loudly" like Eddie on Frasier—that "Jack Russell stare"—making a hoarse whispering sound (her "inside voice", which I am now sorry I taught her) until I let her out. It's a comical, albeit annoying sound and always yields the desired result.

When she really means business it is quite another scenario and, frankly, an odd routine. Because of the coyotes which frequent our rural area, we do not let her out at night alone. In the winter it can be an especially long and uncomfortable experience.

When Bernie feels the urge, she wanders into my office and remains for approximately 30 seconds. We have no idea what actually happens in there, and have never been able to catch her in time to discover that. She suddenly runs through the beads hanging at the office door, full speed ahead, their wooden clacking startling all, and stares at us with that "IT'S COMING!" look of horror on her face—the same look that used to be on my children's faces when they were newly potty-trained toddlers.

Once outside one would think that, being such an emergency, she would get to it. But Bernie must slowly—walk—the—grounds sniffing every blade of grass to see who might have recently used her bathroom. She stands still as a statue, listening, smelling the air. When she finally gets around to the job at hand, of course she must find the perfect spot. She sniffs, scratches, circles around, then, finally the stance. But is that spot good enough? Off she goes again, sniffing and scratching. Just when I think it's all about to happen she gets in position and then decides that's not the right spot after all. So, in mid-squat, she scoots across the grass looking like a hunchbacked kangaroo, sniffing, resting, scratching, hopping on her two back legs to the next patch of grass and finally takes care of the business at hand. Then, with the same urgency as before, she begins barking like a mad dog, as if I had left her out too long: Hey! I'm done here and I'm cold! Let's go inside and get my good dog treat!

Good Friday

What if we took just one moment from our busy days to recall Him Who, thousands of years later, the world has all but forgotten? He and His story have been reduced to a children’s fairy tale. Nor is He given a serious thought. After all, we are masters of our own lives and we have the free will to do whatever we please. Do we even give a thought about Who gave us that free will?

The world has become bored with His story, uninterested and numb to the pain, the excruciating torture, which was not forced upon Him but which He endured willingly for us. Do you want love? Here it is, but it has no place in our world today. We have neither the time nor the desire. And each time we brush Him aside, we scourge Him again.

Let contemplation of a moment which changed life forever saturate our souls. Let us give that moment its proper place in our world. Let us, with full intention and attention, take the time to sit quietly today or Saturday and think only of Christ. Do we have five free minutes? Perhaps today will be the day we take down that little dusty box, where we keep God neatly in His place until we really need Him, and behold the treasure inside. Let us prepare our hearts and our very lives for Christ’s entrance on Easter morning, when He breaks through the stone cold tomb of sin and into our lives, and we can truly proclaim “Christ is Risen!” without shame, without embarrassment, in Truth and in all joy! Do you want a reality story, something more inspiring and remarkable than any “reality” we can see on TV? Here it is. Do you want something relevant? Here it is. Do you wonder where the "good" is in Good Friday? Here it is. Do you want Truth? Here it is:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned for greater fruitfulness by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father. I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love. I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

John 15: 1-11



Easter in the Byzantine Catholic Church

Lent

We normally go through our day-to-day lives without much thought about what we are doing. But lent provides direction and meaning; it is not just "having to give up" something. There are actually three elements which work together. Prayer, the first, is simply communication with God. We cannot get to know people without first talking with them, trying to understand "where they are coming from". We can't even begin to understand the Church without first knowing its Founder. Prayer brings tradition and meaning to the things we do. It gives us the strength to fast. And through our fasting, we are led to share our abundance with others (almsgiving).

Fasting is a very ancient tradition of the Church. There isn't much point in fasting just for the sake of fasting, to see how much food we can go without. A true fast should bring about the desire to change, and actually acting on it. When we feel hunger from fasting from food, it should remind us of our hunger for God and all that is Truth.

When we pray and fast, we should normally come to the desire to give, almsgiving. It was Christ's way of life and if we are Christians, it should be ours. Through prayer, we "contact" and listen to God. Through our fasting, or an emptying of ourselves to fill it with God, we come to a deeper conversion. And through both prayer and fasting, we come to the realization that the needs of others are the responsibility of all. In that same context, I have long loved this quote by author, George Eliot: What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?

The Tradition of Easter Basket Blessing

The blessing of food at Easter has been passed down from the Carpatho-Rusyn people, my ancestors of the Byzantine Catholic Church (and other Slavic groups). Originally, people kept a strict fast, not eating any meat or dairy products for the entire season of Lent (today the fast and abstinence rules are much more relaxed). At Easter, as we do today, the people took the food items that they had not eaten during Lent to church to be blessed. These Easter, or "paschal foods", hold great significance in that they are the foods God had prescribed for the ancient Passover meal—lamb, bread, wine and bitter herbs, and represent the spiritual feast awaiting us after our deaths, at Christ’s table.

Easter Basket Contents:

“Pascha” (Easter bread) is an egg-rich bread, baked in the round; represents Christ, the "living bread".

Meat Products (such as ham, veal, pork, lamb): represent the Old Testament sacrificial animals (which were a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Christ).

Dairy Products (such as butter, cheese, egg cheese [hrutka], cooked and decorative eggs) are symbolic of prosperity and peace. The butter is usually formed into the shape of a lamb and represents Christ, the Lamb of God who was offered on the altar of the Cross for our salvation. Eggs have always been considered a symbol of the resurrection, the emergence of new life, Christ coming forth from the tomb as a chick from the broken egg.

Horseradish (and other bitter foods such as vinegar, sour cream, etc.) represent the bitterness of Christ's passion; and when mixed with sweet, red beets, represent the blood He shed.

Salt Symbolizes the Truth of the message of Christ; as salt preserves food, so the teachings of Christ preserve our eternal life.

Chocolate Eggs/Candy allow children to be a real part of this celebration and share in the resurrection. The Church takes ordinary food and blesses it, making it and us holy as we eat of it. God's blessing changes us from children of natural descent into children of the Kingdom of God.

It has become customary to place a great variety of foods in the basket from which one has fasted during Lent. I have seen bottles of wine or beer, pop, cookies and even bags of McDonald's hamburgers or other fast food in Easter baskets. I think this is a fascinating and wonderful new custom which really brings the ancient tradition of blessing of foods into the modern world! How awesome, to be able to adapt such traditions to our contemporary, everyday lives.

*Side Note (I see this as evidence that the people, while taking part in centuries-old rites, truly can bring the Church into the modern world and make it relevant. We hear so much complaint about the Catholic Church not being "up-to-date". But it is the people who can change this by their attitude, their involvement, their voices, their creativity. We are so privileged to be able to carry on the works and practices and rituals of a Church born directly from the apostles' steadfast adherence to and teaching of the doctrines directly given to them by Christ. We should take pride in this rather than feeling embarrassed or put out or diminishing the value of such ancient customs. Delving into one's ancestry is all the rage these days. Why not go all the way, and see where we truly came from?)
 

The words “Christos Voskrese” (“Christ is Risen”) are sometimes printed on the cloth which covers the basket. The basket is taken to church where a candle placed in the basket is lighted during the blessing ceremony. After the Resurrection Services, the people greet each other with “Christos Voskrese!” and reply “Voistinnu Voskrese!” (“Christ Is Risen!” / “Indeed He Is Risen!”). The people either share their foods, then, at a breakfast with the other parishioners, or take the blessed food home to be shared with family. The meal begins with the head of the family dividing one blessed egg into enough portions for all family members, and an extra portion to remember all family members who have passed away. He gives a portion of the egg to each family member saying, “Christ is Risen!”, and they answer “Indeed He is Risen!”. What a wonderfully fulfilling and beautiful way to remember Christ in His death and resurrection, and our loved ones, who are all part of Him Who gave all, that we might live forever!

Happy Easter to all! Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!

 Easter Basket Prepared to Bless

Basket Blessing

St. John's Byzantine Catholic Church

Columbus, Ohio

(some information gleaned from http://carpathorusynsociety.org and www.stisidore-yubacity.org)

Celebrity

Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.

(Author Unknown)

She has lost her luster,
this old movie star
about whom no one speaks anymore.
It's sad, really, how she once sparkled,
eliciting gasps and sighs
upon mere sight of her—
her entrances being quite grand.
Most loved her, but some knew
her true colors lurking deep within,
though whether loved or hated
she was never far out of mind.
Time does take its toll, however,
and if she once commanded respect,
she now is seldom worth a thought.
She is criticized, mocked
kicked and walked upon—even feared,
for we remember—and we do not...

Once, she had been admired for her beauty,
but now she is simply old and cold
and has worn out her welcome.
People want only to forget
how they were duped by her seeming magic.
She faded over time, as we all must,
but make no mistake, she is only sleeping.
When winter returns again
she will awaken, and cover the earth
with a blanket of jewels as beautiful
and fit for a Tiffany and Co. showcase as any gem.
And we will "Oh" and "Ah" once again,
mesmerized by her facade of beauty.
Fickle, fickle man!



Perfect Day

Be not mindless/Of the mundane moments

While seemingly unimportant/They pass quickly,

Yet command/A lifetime of remembrance

Monica E. Smith

Perfect Day

I remember
when fun was a Saturday bus ride
to downtown with my sister
on a cold winter day
Excitement
was a Beatles album
surprisingly on sale for $3.99
at Higbee's Department Store,
the coveted place
I could never normally afford
on my teenage salary
Comfort
was a mid-morning cup of hot coffee
sipped with delight in a booth
at a Euclid Avenue coffee shop
as we reminisced
the still fresh experiences
of the morning, anticipating
the rest of the day to come
Satisfaction
was lunch at the Silver Grille
and exercise
was an all-day walk
around downtown Cleveland—
window-shopping, talking,
dreaming and planning
our next Saturday excursion—
But contentment
was the aroma of Morrow's Nut Shop
which lingered on the bus ride home
while we warmed our hands
on hot bags of fragrant, freshly roasted nuts
Each of us treasured
this fitting end to a perfect day—
A memento that would soon evanesce—
as would these precious times spent together

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas...

I know you have experienced it, upon waking from a wonderful dream, the feeling that you did not want to wake up yet. And have you kept your eyes tightly closed, willing the dream to continue, willing yourself to remain asleep, willing that life created within your mind to continue? Have you tried with all your might to let it be so?

It is already the twelfth day of Christmas, and the final hours of the spirit of Christmas Present are upon us. I no longer find the winter wind invigorating and tolerable, merely uncomfortable, the once picturesque snowy hillsides simply cold and bleak; and I have spent the last week trying to remain asleep, trying my best to allow the warmth of Christmas to continue, trying not to awaken from the most wonderful Christmas I have experienced in many years—perhaps even since my (now grown) children were little, or maybe even since I was a child myself.

There have been years when Christmas came and went without much ado, when I seemed to simply go through the motions of preparation without much expectation or meaning, and was just as happy to pack away the season with its glittery accoutrement and forget about it for another year. There have been, sadly, Christmases past when I saw only the extra work mounted upon me. Not often, but there were times...

I don't know what changed this year that caused such joy in my heart during the season, and this great sadness that it is now over. Perhaps, as we age and come to a more profound belief of mortality, things we often have taken for granted—or in which we have shown little interest—become ever more consequential. Did I give the season a more spiritual significance? Perhaps. But, for me, honoring God and celebrating His Son's birth (and, thereby, our reclamation) have always been "the reason for the season". Without that, all the little things we do in preparation to make Christmas sparkle with excitement are simply things we do. They have no significance or impact.

I prepared for the holiday and celebrated with family as always. We ate and laughed and played as always, "for it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself..." (from "A Christmas Carol"). But perhaps there was one small difference which transformed everything for me this year.

I have always been enamored with, and have always made it a point to watch at least one of the "A Christmas Carol" productions each year. In the few weeks before Christmas, I kept hearing over and over in my head the words of Ebenezer Scrooge, upon his realization of what the gift of life really means, and what our response to, and responsibility in life is:

I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. 

So I set out to give life to his pledge, thereby making it my own. There is a saying of St. John of the Cross that I have long loved and which has always resonated within me: "Where there is no love, put love -- and you will find love." This is not so different from Scrooge's declaration, is it? And, perhaps, that is how this Christmas was transformed for me, where this Christmas differed for me, where Christmas—or any day of the year—can differ for us all. I approached the season with love from beginning to end, in the decorations, the food I prepared, arranging special "events" and activities to share with others to mark the season, to elevate it from the ordinary. I put so much love into the things I did and experienced that I could hardly contain myself. And so, now that it is over—for this year— I am so filled that it has no place to spill over but in tears, as I think fondly of how we laughed and loved this Christmas.

I am not ready to awaken from the dream, or give up the ghost—of Christmas Past or otherwise—but I must be fully awake and aware of all the gifts of Christmas in order to let the dream live on. To ignore these gifts and lessons of Christmas would be much too costly.  I think this is the way we should—must—approach not only Christmas, but every day on this earth, fully awake and aware,  living (as I was recently reminded) each day truly as if it were our last, in full realization of the magnitude of the gift of life...

Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!...It is required of every man..."that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellowmen, and travel far and wide; and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death. It is doomed to wander through the world -- oh, woe is me! -- and witness what it cannot share, but might have shared on earth, and turned to happiness!

Let it never be said of us that we did not know Christmas or the gifts it brings to us which live through the year. We can then begin to understand each other, who we are, where we are going, who God is. We are here for a purpose. Let us strive, with 'ol Ebenezer, to wake up and find that purpose, with each other...

 

Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more...He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world...and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!

Peace, Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Years! 

 

Christmas in Logan County—Gifts of the Season

Every now and then, everything falls into place. Yesterday was one such day...

It was a cold, snowy day, and I awoke thinking about all the things I needed to do before Christmas, planning and wondering if I would have enough time to accomplish all that I wanted. Of course, there is always time for a cup of coffee, so I sat in my favorite lounge chair with a hot cup and my dog by my side, making mental notes and plans for the day, the room heated by that penetrating, osmotic warmth only a wood fire can give. 

Soon I was out and about, doing some Christmas grocery shopping, and feeling very merry. The weather was cold and crisp and all before me was laid out in a soft white blanket, compliments of a fresh snow which had fallen a couple days before. The roads had been plowed, for the most part, and the ones that were still snow-covered had been flattened by previous traffic, and were quite driveable. So on the way home, Christmas carols blaring in the car, singing at the top of my lungs, I took a detour and turned off on a snowy country road.

I immediately knew I had made the right decision. After mere minutes of taking the turn, I was rewarded with the most beautiful sights. My first stop was a small horse ranch, where I spied a beautiful chestnut horse in the distance. I immediately pulled to the side of the road and got out of the car to take some pictures. To my surprise, the horse stopped, looked at me and trotted over to the fence to get a closer look. So I did the same, being careful not to mis-step in the deep snow. She greeted me as if I were a long-lost friend, lowering her great head over the fence, nuzzling me and braying softly, staying with me quite a while, as if she couldn't get enough of my affection and attention. Before I realized it, her foal had galloped beside us as well, shaking its head and wondering what all the excitement was about. They both were clothed in their long winter coats, hair, mane and tails blowing in the winter wind. I don't remember actually seeing horses in their winter finery this closely, and they were beautiful. It seems I had made their day; they certainly had made mine. They stayed a few minutes, then gave a whinny and off they ran—but not before I had taken some photographs.

I continued driving and soon came upon a a logging camp. Somehow, this sight was unexpected. I drove slowly by, as it was quite interesting to watch the work being done, managing to take a bit of video and a snapshot from my car window as I passed. I found it intriguing, as this scene is something I might normally only experience on The Discovery Channel, perhaps as seen through the eyes of Mike Rowe from "Dirty Jobs". And here it was in my back yard. It seems that even in frigid, snowy weather, the world must go on. Or, perhaps, especially in frigid, snowy weather, the world must go on...

I have always been fascinated with trains and railroad tracks. And, for some reason, they are even more attractive and appealing in the context of a snowy winter—decorated with the greenery of pine trees, bony fingers of bare tree limbs that seem to be pointing the way to life—much like the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come—the whispy dried brown briers and boskets peeking through the deep white snow on either side, and, yes, two deer who happened to cross the road just beyond the tracks, stopping briefly to consider me before bounding across the road, passing by a tiny covered bridge (red, of course)  to the safety of the somewhat greener grass on the other side. No picture here—except in my memory—as I was too mesmerized by this "Christmas Card" to engage the camera!

I passed many farms of various sizes, beautifully decked out in the colors of the season. Somehow, there is something very Christmasy about a red barn in a snow-covered field, a hay wagon decorated with a green wreath. I think, living in the country, I sometimes take for granted the beauty that is all around me. These sights are before me always, but I sometimes do not see them. Like all people, I lose focus and sight of what is important, concentrating on my own problems and dissatisfactions and becoming so involved in the details or negative aspects of things in my life, missing the entire purpose and beauty of life, as a whole, altogether. I guess it's pretty much not seeing the forest for the trees...

A small detour became several hours before I realized I needed to get home to my dog, throw another log into the woodstove, turn on the Christmas tree lights and prepare supper for my husband and I. I had not meant to be gone so long, but the detour had become a found opportunity which filled me with the Christmas spirit through and through. It had been a good decision, which led to a better day and an even greater appreciation and enjoyment of God's special Christmas gift to His children.

Especially now, at Christmastime, there are gifts aplenty, gifts that anyone can afford, gifts more meaningful, more precious and more lovely than any amount of money can buy. The world is closer than you think—even as near as just outside your window, around the corner, or down a country road. I encourage you to explore the world of your surroundings and to experience the true gifts of this season or any season. I assure you it will be a memory not forgotten, one that gratifies the eyes, the ears, the soul.

Peace, and Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good, warm and memorable Christmas night.