Emotional Triggers

 There was something that happened at the wedding rehearsal, that still bothers me. I'm sure no one noticed or if they did, would remember it.  It amazes me how fast something hurtful, even if not intentional can deflate one's confidence.

Before I left for the wedding, I posted the reading Christina chose. At the wedding rehearsal, I started reading it.  It's from Song of Songs, about a lover waiting for his beloved.  Song of Songs is poetry. It begins with "Hark."  The minute I said "Hark," someone giggled. As I continued about "peeking through the latices," there was more giggling. I was not reading it dramatically, either.  After all, this was only a rehearsal.  I read it matter of fact.

It unsettled me.  Instantly, insecurities enveloped me.  I remembered my Boston accent was strong.  I remembered a speech teacher telling me that I had, "an annoying Merrimac Valley nasal twang." I remembered all the criticisms I received in Toast Masters.  I remembered when I quit being a Lector in church, no one tried to talk me out of it.

Well, it's over with, what's done is done.  However it came across, no one will remember.  It was the wedding that was important.

Christina & Ian's Wedding

Celebrating

 Christina's wedding was fabulous!  It lasted five days!!!!!  The first day was a dinner to meet everyone.  After all, people came from across the globe. The wedding was in California.  The groom and myself live in Massachusetts.  The bride's mother was Austrian.  So, everyone got together for appetifs at a restaurant, then to the bride's father's house for food and snaps.  The next day was the wedding rehearsal, followed by dinner at a Middle Eastern restaurant.  Finally--the big day.  The wedding was a nuptial Mass.  It was beautiful.  After the Mass, Christina took a bouquet and placed it at the foot of a statue of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.  They said it was an old Catholic custom.

Following the wedding was a reception on a cruise ship.  While the revelry went on, the ship cruised Newport Harbor.  What a fantastic experience!

My!  I know I'm using a lot of exclamatory statements, but how else to describe this event?  Lastly, the next morning was a brunch, at a restaurant.  

May God bless this marriage of Christina & Ian.

Apocalypse

 Here's another Book Review.  This time it's Wild Fire by Nelson DeMille.  John Corey is the detective with his long suffering wife.  He's a smart mouth investigator.  His friend was murdered in an assignment that was meant for him. Corey's partner is his wife.  Both are investigating this crime, in the Adirondacks.  

The bad guys are out to blame Islamis.  This takes place right after 9/11 They hope to accomplish revenge by nuclear bombing American cities, which will force our government to think Islamic terrorists were responsible and go to war.

This is a fast-paced political thriller.  I see that it is part of a series and John Corey is featured in all of them.  If you like sarcastic, sexy heroes.  This is a book for you.

Sancta Indifferentia

 This book is so timely, I don't know why it's not more popular.  Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News by Jeffrey Bilbro is a guide to keeping your sanity while being bombarded by TV, radio, video clips, podcasts, newspapers, magazines, blogs, tweets, Facebook, etc. vying to get your attention.  Bilbro describes how all this attention-getting information affects us.  It's too much, too loud. and all-together too mis-leading, making us judge--too fast.

Bilbro recommends that we approach everything with "sancta indifferentia."  IOW, "holy indifference."  In thinking about this, I think "sancta indifferentia," is how I approach my favorite mysteries.  I love reading Louise Penny mysteries.  I am interested, very interested in the crime.  But I'm not intensely upset by the crime because, well, I know it's fiction, besides Inspector Armand Gamache will solve the mystery.  The same with Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot.  That's how to approach the news.  Distance yourself; you can't do anything about it; it's part of God's plan; it's karma; it's kismet, it's cosmic justice, ca sera sera.

Another recommendation is to balance what you read with the opposite view.    Watch liberal and conservative news.  M er Iran, I wondered how come they're still shooting at our planes and ships. So, I turned the channel to Al Jazeera.  Al Jazeera was claiming victory over America.  Finally, I turned to BBC and got the "bare-boned" news.  The conflict was still on-going.  The USA was bombing all the military targets it could, and Iran had mined and closed the Strait of Hormuz.  So, who's winning? Well, let's call it a draw.  It's stalemated.  

Back to "sancta indifferentia."  Does it matter to you?  What can you do about it?   This too shall pass.  Ca sera sera. Don't get your knickers into a knot!

There are some people who are just incapable, unwilling, to read opposing views.  Bilbro said they are too entrenched in their identifying "tribe," "group," "party," "people."  They are incredulous that anybody could possibly disagree with their interpretation of "whatever."  If you showed them facts proving the opposite, they would not believe it.  They think the facts are falsehoods to trick you into thinking the opposite of what they believe. 

God bless them.

Speaking of God, Jeffrey Bilbro is a Senior Elder in his Luteran Church.  So, he recommends aligning oneself with reasonable, good, God-centered people.  They will help you keep your sanity.  Read what they read, listen to, and watch what your "tribe" does.  Start discussion groups.  You don't have to be a church goer.  Join a book club of like-minded, open people.  Read different books to discuss.  Have a Discussion group, like the Franklin Senior Center has. They conduct polite conversations on contemporary issues.  Have each member subscribe to different periodicals and talk about their readings.  Make sure to pass around and leave these magazines on the table, in the Senior Center.  As the author concludes, "...reading the news isn't good in and of itself, but ...it can be an instrumental good to journeying well with our Christian and non-Christian neighbors."

The Power of Love

 This is my niece's pick for a reading for her nuptial Mass.  To better understand and read it, I'm doing a Lection Divina on it.

LECTIO:    Songs of songs   2: 8-10, 14-16: 8: 6-7

STUDIUM:

This is a narrative poem about the love between a young maiden and her lover.  Metaphorically, it can be the love God has for His Church.  

MEDITATIO:

This Reading begins with the lover rushing to find his beloved.  Sometimes, I can't wait to get to my prayer time to be with God.  I do feel like this Lover, rushing like a gazelle.  And God is waiting for me.  I begin with "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."  This sign of the Cross is blazed on my body , like a blazing fire and water cannot wash it away.

ORATIO:

Thank you Jesus, for loving me.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Love is stronger than death.  I accept the love of God and strive to make my love for Him a reflection of perfect love.

Senior Citizen Haiku

 Help me up, my friend.

I want up, my bones say no.

Glory Be! Gravity!

Straight Roads Made Crooked

You haven't heard from me in a while because I've been traveling the Lincoln Highway. Yes, I've been reading Amor Towle's The Lincoln Highway.  And loving it.  I love Towle's characterization.  Each one of his characters were endearing, to me.  I wish I knew them.  Their adventures were often "hair raising." The morality was interesting and often thought provoking.  The plot was simple, but convoluted.  It reminded me of the expression, "You can't get there from here."

Keep life simple and true to yourself.  Always be kind.  That's the way to live, just like the best characters in Lincoln Highway.