Monday in Holy Week

 

Still flames licking an hour or so ago, a smoking, burned out hulk this morning, someone's living, a shrimp boat caught fire last evening. These boats operate in the shipping channel, but apparently those on board had time to run it in and ground her, and get off safely I hope. 

Just after nine o'clock last evening I glanced out the window to see flames on a vessel, in the darkness I couldn't tell how far out, and some yards to the right were more lights, very still, not moving, which I took to be on the other end of a large vessel, so my first impression was that a ship was afire.

Those aren't my pictures, my phone was in the car, garaged six levels below. Friend and neighbor John in the unit above us snapped the pictures. Someone lost their livelihood. How? Why? It's just as important with a watercraft as it is with an aircraft, to have an operating and safety checklist that you run through before leaving the pier. Back to Navy days, my petty officers reported to their division officers, who reported to me, before I called the bridge and reported my department "ready for sea". Every safety item had been eyeballed. I don't know whether the Coast Guard investigates these incidents.

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67°F outside, 66% humidity, wind from the SE at 10 mph. Sliding door is open to the porch, what I hear is the shrill of an osprey, then a huge roar as USAF fighters fly over. Prompts me to check on the osprey nest at Boulder County Fairgrounds, Colorado. Saturday, not yesterday, yesterday was jam-packed, Saturday I watched as the male bird brought the female a fish. 

Any number of ospreys around here. Sometimes we see four or half-dozen circling high over the Bay, like a family. Maybe they are.

Bringing her a fish. It's a gender-prompted society, and that's one of his main functions, a man's job. Primarily, during nesting season, minding the nest is woman's work. Historically, evolutionarily, man's work and woman's work is the way of creation. Among humans, at least among American humans, we watched that changing during WW2. Rosie the Riveter. Nowadays it's politically incorrect to speak of man's work or woman's work. 

But war. Desolating, devastating, inhuman war in Ukraine. A few months ago, the world seemed so safe and peaceful. While wholly mindful of inevitable "collateral damage" and taking every possible precaution, the Time has come to eliminate the aggressor as both preventive and punitive. Do those innocent who would inevitably be immolated agree? And what about committing even more ghastly war crimes in the process of eliminating the aggressor? IDK. Honestly, IDK.

Mindful that for all the crying "war crimes" it's only the victor who decides what were war crimes and who will be found guilty and who will be punished, and how. 

And I can't help but wonder. For the people of Ukraine, looking back a few weeks, which would you value more: liberty or peace? independence or your life back? national pride or going to work this morning?

Holy Week, Monday in Holy Week:

Almighty God, whose dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other that the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.