My brain is rattled every time I sneeze or cough or the dogs bark, which are all often, as I have the flu, and I am caring for the grand dogs until their basketball star owners return on the ferry.
( And yes, the Haines Women won the Juneau Gold Medal tourney — again– in a rout of Hoonah, and the Klukwan “C” team, with brand new Hall of Famer Stuart Dewitt won their game in triple overtime, and the Merchants and MVP Kyle Fossman, won their division in overtime, too. In many ways their success is a testament to the value of the school’s open gym on winter nights and weekends, and the fitness, health, and ability of the players to trust in each other’s strengths. Which of course could be made into a wise Sunday Thought if the dogs will stop barking and I quit sneezing long enough to type a decent sentence.)
It is a nice morning and many other healthy people are walking happy dogs past the back door, and seeing them transforms the dogs circling my desk into the Hounds of Baskerville.
I was feeling so low that I spent about an hour searching the web for an inspirational quote, about faith, health, dogs, and happiness. They were all awful and un-inspiring. This is why I prefer to share a Sunday Thought that I have actually read, in a book, by an author I like and respect, and understand the context of.
Last night, I moderated a Q & A with writer and actor Aaron Davidman about the film made from his powerful one man show, “Wrestling Jerusalem” about the conflict there, from all perspectives, and about empathy, and complex problems. He said rebuilding a Ferrari engine is complicated, rebuilding a rain forest is complex. One has instructions, the other does not.
A fisherman just pulled in the driveway and set the dogs off, again. They are all wags and barks and spins, sure that he is here to walk them on the beach with his dog. I opened the door and urged him to stand back, I am sick, I said. Oh sorry, he said. Then he said I did a good job last night and handed me a sack of fresh halibut, all cleaned and packaged.
He said the film was good, and the part he liked the best, was when the Rabbi shared the Shema prayer explaining that God is One with us– and everything– “Hear Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.”
God be in my sneezing and headache, the barking of these damn dogs, and in my healing.
Incline my grumpy heart toward gratitude.
Which I promise to have as soon as you cure my cold and calm these dogs.
There they go again!
The old hound is the worst.
What is the matter?
“It’s just the flu. Not Israel and Palestine.”
God who is One,
You are already here, arent’ you?
