Oh help me. How can it be Weds already? Time is galloping.
Has it been two years since Emilia was born literally the day before the pandemic began in earnest here? Yes.
Now look …
If it makes any difference, I do talk to you a lot. I have all kinds of stuff to share, but there’s a lot of walking and sweeping up sand and hair in these three dogs days. I did write an email to Judy Woodruff at the PBS NewsHour and she replied quite kindly, which made my day.
This is titled “Wednesday’s Thought” because it is Sunday’s Thought a few days late. On Sunday, I had planned to tell you how Haines has pretty much declared Covid is over and so I spent Saturday watching some of my grandchildren play basketball while one daughter coached, another ran the scoreboard, one son-in-law coached another team and another son-in-law kept little Teddy from running onto the court.
It was a delight to be all together watching second to fourth graders try to dribble with one hand without traveling ( almost, they played six-step rules), and the way they all stopped and listened when the ref ( the Port Chilkoot Bible Church pastor) explained that it is not okay to bear hug your opponent from behind so they won’t shoot.”Hold your hands up, like this,” he said, to block the flight of the ball. And just like that, all those earnest children put their hands in the air too. Then, as one little boy focused all his attention downward on his hand tapping the ball, my son -in-law coached him gently from the sideline, “Look up, lift up your eyes, see down the court? Toss the ball to your teammates.” Help them, and they will help you, he said. Look up, look out, see how we are all playing this game together.
On Sunday, I attended in-person church, and it felt so good to have helpers to lift up my soul. Speaking of souls, yesterday as I sat in the DJ chair waiting to begin my Backcountry shift on KHNS, I listened to the news. An expert on Russian media that spoke English as her second, or no doubt third or fourth language — explained that it is easier for Russians to choose to believe fake news coming from Putin’s propaganda machine because the real stories are “hard on the human soul.” She chose her words carefully, and the sound of them, like poetry in a newscast, has stayed with me. (Life these days feels like a tug-of-war between fear about the far and joy in the near.)
It’s a challenge.
About all I have managed to do regularly since Lent began is show up for Zoom book clubs and AQR events and pedal my bike inside while I pray or sing.The twice monthly Alaska Quarterly Review literary series is now in its second year. (They are all on YouTube. I love meeting and hearing so many great writers read and share their work.) Last night I hosted a 49 Writers inspirational talk (it will be monthly) with prolific mystery writer Dana Stabenow. She inspired me to get to my desk today.
As to the daily prayers and hymns (since you asked), I use The Mission of St. Clare site. There is a lot there. I love the hymns list, and the audio daily morning prayer feature. They link sung Compline from St. Mark’s in Seattle too. I listen to the Sunday services and sermons from Marsh Chapel at Boston University. (After the fact, archived). I really appreciate Dean Robert Hill’s perspective. I subscribe to Richard Rohr’s daily meditations as well. Find the Good is the Lenten read at Holy Trinity in Juneau. I would give you the links to all of these, but I am sort of a Luddite, although I realize that sounds lame and typing that makes me feel like a grump, so this week I will learn how to connect you to these and other links, here.
Thank you again for reading what I write, and for sticking with me. I feel like you are one of those signs people put up around town and around the country during the worst of the pandemic — the ones that said “You’ve Got This,” except that in the spirit of the littlest basketball player it should be changed to “We’ve Got This.” And if you do pray, please pray for peace.
