wander
From word-a-day host Anu Garg, today's word is gaberlunzie, a wandering beggar, especially one who is licensed. It never occurred to me that one could be licensed to beg, but I can't imagine ever using gaberlunzie anyway, so no matter.
This day in history, 1968, I well remember when Robert Kennedy was shot. I was 32, a Navy lieutenant commander serving in Washington DC. Kennedy was shot an evening and lingered overnight as we anxiously monitored his prognosis. The arrogant, hate-filled young Palestinian who murdered RFK shifted America's direction tragically, as even more so did the arrogant, disturbed young man who shot JFK. Watching RFK, Jr and his political antics, I have wondered that his aberration into unreality comes from living with the murder of his dad. RFK, Jr is sadder than he is disgusting.
Haven't read Fr Richard's meditation yet, but did read poem-a-day,
|
|
|
which is a little strange, but with haiku you need to relax into it, and this one rings my phone.
What? Characterized as an eccentric preacher by a professor and as an eclectic priest by a parishioner (he meant it as a compliment, but IDK, synonyms for eclectic may be spot on https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eclectic as I'm pretty disorganized, am okay with self, and don't see organization as key in my life), and I'm afraid some who've come into my life late suppose or supposed me to be a holy man. But that rings another bell, of another life wanderer, and my likeness to Amvrosy, Arseny, Ustin, Laurus, an emotionally and mentally unstable mess, seems more linked to his being different Beings at different stages of his life, and to his desire to withdraw into a cave and look out or just Be there, or simply Be. 7H.
If you don't know Laurus, maybe you should. Here's an observation from a reader who reviewed Eugene V's book:
the book ends with more reflection on how time is not particularly linear. In many ways, I enjoyed the book more because I knew what was mainly going to happen, and I enjoyed the themes of the book and the story. But I also wonder at some of the choices. Our hurts impact not just us but also those around us. God can empower broken people and people who are not fully healed of their pain and trauma, just as he can empower those who have not been traumatized. I do not think Laurus idealizes pain, but I do think that some of those that read it may incorrectly see that as a takeaway from the book.
I think there is something to the potential for wisdom and virtue in older age that would be harder to achieve in younger people. It is not that with age comes maturity and wisdom, but age can be a means to obtain wisdom and maturity even if it is not enough on its own.
What the book is about may depend on what it means to each reader, and that may be other than definite. Besides getting caught up in the emotionally wrenching story itself, I think to me it was about Time, which seems to have seized and holds my focus at this age and stage and phase.
Anyway, there's that.
T88&c
pic: pause in yesterday's walk in Oaks by the Bay Park, could replace My Laughing Place.