Failing Up

As a week of celebration for an extraordinary  leader and pastor, Pope Francis, the peoples Pope comes to an end, I am once again overwhelmed with the power and peace for faith.  Not faith defined by a certain denomination or particular religion but just faith.  When faith it truly lived and taught by those that live it, then there is not fear, well except if you are being chased by a grizzly bear.  All the power of faith and love, over shadows ego and its by product fear.  Faith in each other, not faith in power.  As they said in the 60's,"keep the faith." 

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Unlike Santa Clause the Easter Bunny is an animal.  While growing up and still to this day when I see Santa in the mall, at brunch, or ringing a bell on the street I can make the connection, he is a nice plump man with a beard.  The Easter Bunny however is a completely different animal.  First of all, he is an animal!  So when I'm  at the mall or Easter Brunch and some dude in a bunny costume with eyes and a mouth that do not move starts waving, I get freaked out.  It looks more like a character from a slasher movie with those bulging eyes and frozen grin. This is not a bunny, it's a nightmare come to life!!  Where's the real Bunny not some freak show!!  Happy Easter. 

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In our current day, I can run errands, go to work, and visit the doctor without any real interpersonal interaction.  I get gas with my card at the pump, bank at the ATM, groceries at the self checkout line, telemedicine with the doctor, Zoom my ass off!  There was a time where a day like that I would find myself interacting with people, who I had come to know.  The guy at Hess gas pumping my gas, the bank teller, the check-out person, the doctor in person, and the sounds and smells of an in person meeting. Our community has become smaller, our interactions less in a transactional sense. What's the cost?  Look around. 

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Well, let me tell you back in my younger days if there was a rule to be broken, I broke it.  Tell me to go right and I go left.  Now that I am in the Autumn of my life, (ok early autumn like Labor Day) I find myself obsessed with certain rules.  Fifteen items or less the check-out sign reads a that grocery store.  Yet people cruise through with 20, 30, 35 items.  I find myself counting the items of the people in front of me.  Parking!  what is it with this parking in front of the building, and as long as your flashers are on, it's alright no matter how you back up traffic.  We are in a middle finger society!  

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Our society seems to be obsessed with who or what is the GOAT, greatest of all time, in what ever category you want to pick.  Greatest, band, basketball player, quarterback, late night host, it goes on and on.  These discussions  transcend into arguments in the blink of an eye. My stance is, there are not GOATS.  There is greatness in any category you select and there can me multiple greats.  I just don't go down the GOAT path.  

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As I find myself rushing from point A to point B, there are times I think I'll just stop at a drive-thru and grab something to eat.   As I approach the drive-thru I see a long line of car just waiting and herding through.  It then dawned on me that the drive-thru for fast food, is slow!  People just do not want to get out of their cars. Our car, the communication, center, racing machine, information palace and restaurant.  We don't have time to get out, even when waiting in a line of 20 cars for a burger, and fries.  The car has become our cocoon, and the butterfly appears after risking life and limb speeding to our important destination. 

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Five years ago we went into lock down.  All except for the "essential workers".  Those selfless heroes at times taken for granted until a crisis occurs and they rise to the occasion.  In this case, nurses, doctors, truck drivers, grocery store employees and first responders, police, and on and on...  Individuals' who make our lives possible.  I just found the term "essential worker" so powerful.  They are essential, yet at times just a part of the fabric.  These workers are not a part of the fabric, they are the fabric!  Thank you always!

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One sure sign that spring is around the corner and winter is melting away is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.  This is season where the "Fish Fry"  rules!  I love going to the local fish fry's in church basements or cafeteria's. There is such  sense of community and warmth.  Even at the take-out fried fish stores that are packed every Friday up unit Good Friday there is a sense of community, no one in a rush everyone there getting fish, and fish sandwiches.  You can't buy this feeling, and you can't create it with AI, I hope the Lenten Fish Fry, never goes away!  

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Pennsylvania has Punxsutawney Phil, to forecast when spring will arrive, New Orleans has Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, heck we even have lent, all to let us know that spring is on the way.  In the central part of New York State, USA, in city named Syracuse, in a wonderful Irish section named Tipperary Hill, full of history, legacy names, families, and the only traffic light with green on top, we know spring is around the corner when the green beer arrives.  Now mind you, I have not had a drink in a very long time and the world is a better place for, but this tradition let's all know that soon we will see the snow turn brown and the potholes run deep.  It's just the beginning, there is green milk, green shamrock shakes at McDonalds, green cookies, eat your heart out Punxsutawney Phil, you big woodchuck green with envy! 

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Unlike the "Dog Days" of summer we are now in the "Dead of Winter" here in the northeastern portion of the United State.  February in Upstate, NY, cold and snowy, dark and cozy.  Yes, cozy.  Nothing liked a grey snowy Sunday to put on an extra pot of coffee, grab a book, watch a movie or just be a peace.  You can hear the silence as the snow falls and blankets the ground.  Past memories come to life!  Memories of family, friends, comfort food.  

A nice pot pie, soup and sandwich, stew, and, hot chocolate were made for these days!  A day to stay in you PJ's, no need for sunscreen!  

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