Double rainbow

 

It is unclear why this has remained unposted for more than a year.

When it was taken, I was not in a posting groove.

At the end of 2010 summer, 

a little over a year ago,

Tricia and I visited

the Great Plains.

Our adventure began in Denver, the starting point for this year's travels as well.

We drove north through Wyoming into Montana where we saw 

the Little Bighorn National Battlefield Monument,

cut east to Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands

turned south through Nebraska,

and ended back to Denver.

We saw a number of national parks

and visited a couple of zoos.

We also checked out some state parks and historic sites

including Fort Phil Kearney State Historic Site 

near Banner, Wyoming.

There we journeyed to the location 

of the Fetterman Fight.

While we walked the grounds where battle once ranged

a small storm developed.

It brought enough rain to create

this double rainbow.

See you along the Trail.

19 September 2011

Shire on the Hudson

Finally back to the gym

The past
can haunt us,
inspire us,
live within us,
shape us,
guide us,
influence us,
come out in our lives at times
and in ways that we never expect.

The past
may not even exist,
at least at times,
according to Faulkner; "the past is never dead;
it's not even past."

The past:
remember - never forget?
let bygones be bygones?

The past:
repress,
confess,
address,
suppress,
profess,
possess,
regress,
express,
invest,
protest,
digest?

The past
has seen me try
and come up short; and yet,
despite the past,
in spite of the past,
because of the past
I try again.
I try again.

5 September 2011
on the way to the gym
Shire on the Hudson

That words do not come too late

Spent the day writing a sermon. Tomorrow I preach at St. James Presbyterian Church. I am looking forward to that.

The day also brought a cleaning surge here at the Shire on the Hudson. Things had been getting pretty grungy. Now they are just kind of grungy. One step at a time. The laundry did get done. That's always a good thing.

A number of movies have been viewed over the past few days. Some oldies that I have seen before - Batman: The Dark Knight (Heath Ledger is amazing - and then there are Christian Bale and Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine and Gary Oldman and the list goes on); The Bourne Identity, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

The most interesting new one was Get Low with Robert Duvall. He turns in a strong performance and the cast supports him well.

The story, supposedly based on truth, is fascinating. Duvall's character, Felix Bush lives as a hermit. And he decides he wants to hold his funeral - before he dies - while he is able to attend.

I found myself recalling one of my favorite scenes from Waking Ned Devine. Jackie O'Shea is speaking at the funeral for Ned Devine - and when the lottery man arrives, Jackie quickly changes the focus because the town has told him that Ned is still alive. Michael O'Sullivan is masquerading as Ned so they can cash in Ned's winning lottery ticket.

Jackie pauses for a moment and then says, "Michael O'Sullivan was my great friend. But I don't ever remember telling him that. The words that are spoken at a funeral are spoken too late for the man who is dead. What a wonderful thing it would be to visit your own funeral."

In Get Low, Felix Bush decides he wants to do just that (as he did in real life, apparently). Of course there are some twists and turns to get there. But get there they do. And the truth is told - painful, heartbreaking, hard truth - truth from the past - truth that has shaped, distorted, truncated Felix's life and the lives of many others. And it seems that forgiveness and some measure of reconciliation occurs.

Felix's tale in Get Low took my thinking in two directions. 

Direction One.
I don't want to attend my own memorial service. At least that's what I think at the moment. I also don't want that memorial service to happen any time soon. And I realize that memorial services are for the living not for the one who has died. But I do have an idea what I would like to see happen at that service - years and years from now.

That idea comes from Waking Ned Devine. The memorial service should be a time of celebration and giving thanks. And after the service, all of my family and all of my friends should gather for a party - a mighty party - a party with music and food and drink - a party with stories told and memories shared - a party filled with tears and laughter - a party that lasts through the night. Then, in the morning, the still quiet darkness of the morning, all who are able should fill their glass and make their way to the highest point that is nearby and their they should toast me as the sun rises.

Direction Two.
I need to be sure that my family and friends know what they mean to me. I need to make sure that my words do not come too late. May it be so.

See you along the Trail.

A better answer

I think I have come up with a better answer.

The Shire on the Hudson was used for many years by interns serving the Presbyterian Church at the United Nations.

Neighbors apparently got used to this. They give very quizzical looks when they realize that I live there. And after a moment or two of thought, they usually come up with a profound observation along the lines of, "You aren't an intern, are you?"

So far I have let people off the hook gently. I quote Nancy Reagan and then explain that I am not an intern and that we have reconfigured the ministry and its staffing pattern.

This happened again today and it makes me think that the time has come to make a change. After significantly less careful pondering that it deserves, I have come up with an alternative response.

"You aren't an intern, are you?"

"Why yes. Yes I am. And think how old that must make you."

I'll let you know what happens if I try it.

See you along the Trail.

Not much in this one

Spent Tuesday afternoon through Thursday noon with the Middle East Coordinating Group at Stony Point Center. They were working on a study resource on the Kairos Palestine document.

Got back to the Shire on the Hudson around 1:00 Thursday. Plunged right back into things. Went to First Presbyterian Church of Whitestone where I was reminded what a blessing my calling is.

Friday brought meetings. It also brought my friend David Bowie. We are leading an antiracism event on Sunday in Plainfield, NJ. Over Fritos and Kashi Snack Crackers, we reminisced about the dogs that have touched our lives.

The NFL draft took place. Eric filled me in on what Cleveland did. I tracked the Steelers a bit. One (that would be me in this case) does wonder what will happen with the NFL season.

Tomorrow will be a day to prepare for Sunday and to try to catch up.

See you along the Trail.