War, What Is It Good For?

 In a very old Seinfeld episode Elaine, who was working for a publisher at the time, suggested the novel "War and Peace" be renamed "War, What is it Good For?"  As you can imagine, it was not well received. 

To me, our current situation in the middle east is a great example of Elaine's quote.  Especially since we have thousands of scholars who consider themselves middle eastern experts. What's currently happening is not a recent problem. It flairs up every few years.  

I wonder if these scholars remember the Abraham story in Genesis, the first book in the Old Testament, and its implications for Israel and Palestine.  Abraham's wife Sarah couldn't conceive so she gifted Abraham with her handmaiden, Hagar, who some suggest was Egyptian. Hagar soon had a son, Ishmael.   Sarah then went on to have twelve sons of her own. And that was the beginning of three major world wide religions, Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

So, let's start with sibling rivalry, and proceed from there.  And, instead of compiling our daily enemies list, let's think about how to help solve the world's problems with our words instead of killing. 

So now, let's clap our hands and sing:

Father Abraham had many sons.......Many son had Father Abraham

I am one of them and so are you.......So let's just praise the Lord.

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Water, Water Everywhere

 

My favorite theme in the arts is Redemption.  It's why, a while back, I rewatched "Pretty Woman."  This film is about two good people who both do terrible things with their lives.  It's not a spiritual, religious redemption, but, because they love each other, they both become better people. 

Last week my daughter-in-law, Angie, dropped by and brought me her copy of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner."  I had never read it but we all know quotes or phrases from this LONG poem.  

Water. water. every where,  And all the boards did shrink;

Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink.

 Written in 1798,this was Samual Coleridge's longest poem.  You may have been forced to read it in college or high school.  Angie read it in college and loved it.  I didn't "love" it but I'm happy I plowed through.  

So, what's it about?  It's about a man who made a bad decision but, in the end, he was truly redeemed, (as in the biblical sense.) 

Ir begins when the Ancient Mariner stops a wedding guest and proceeds to tell him a long, sad story of a voyage.  During this voyage, they encounter a terrible storm and then, out of nowhere, an Albatross appears.  The crew sees it as a good omen.  The Mariner, with no explanation, kills the Albatross.  

The sailers continue to suffer and die because they're in the storm and have no water. At this point they hang the Albatross around the Mariner's neck.  The crew dies.  The Mariner lives because he bites his arm and drinks his own blood.  

Many more adventures ensue but in the end, the Mariner gives himself to God and spends the rest of his life telling others that prayer is the greatest joy in life. 

At length did cross an Albatross,  Thorough the fog it came;  As if it had been a Christian soul,  We hailed it in God's name.

Instead of the cross, the Albatross, About my neck was hung.

The self-same moment I could pray; And from my neck so free,  The Albatross fell off, and sank,  Like lead into the sea.

He loved the bird that loved the man,  Who shot him with his bow.

This story is absolutely nothing like "Pretty Woman."  It's about true redemption.

The drawings are exquisite.  

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Gated Communities

 

Shortly after moving to my condo an old friend said to me, "You are the last person in the world I thought would live in a gated community."  I accepted this as a compliment because of the life I've tried to live and it also made me feel guilty for a time. 

But I got over it.  I'm now vulnerable so I don't resent the cameras all over this place and I like the gate.  I'm sure it's more of a psychological help than anything else but I'm grateful that I feel safe, especially since I'm aging in place.  

The gate is not so much about nefarious folks getting in as it is about them getting out (with our stuff.)  Our "out" gate swings inward so a vehicle must pull up to the proper spot that triggers the gate.  And it takes about ten seconds for it to fully open.    

But, some people don't have that kind of time.  For as long as I've lived here, the gate has been routinely run into and is very often in need of repair.   Big trucks, like moving vans, and regular vehicles have broken the gate numerous times.  

My friend, Christie, also lives in a gated condo community.  Her exit gate slides straight to the right.  Easy, peasy.  But it also has this big, scary sign that makes me laugh every time I drive through it. 

Maybe we need a sign like this. 

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