How To Breathe New Life Into A Shmata

Sometimes your Facebook feed provides you with an unexpected smile and sometimes with a twinge of sorrow.

Yesterday I learned one of my former campers died far too young as was somewhere between 49 and 50n. If we were living during the 18th or 19th century perhaps some would say he did ok for himself and that a half century is to be lauded.

But we aren’t living during such times and I shake my head knowing cancer has claimed another far too young and life has undergone a profound change for a new widow and son.

I had no idea he was sick. We exchanged messages periodically upon Facebook and played Words with Friends but there was never mention of anything.

Had I known I would have offered whatever support I could have and maybe that wasn’t wanted or even needed. It wasn’t my choice to make, but I would have liked to have shared something.

Two days earlier a fraternity brother posted news about the results of a biopsy and his upcoming treatment plan.

More reminders that our tomorrows always have a limit and we do not always know what that is.

So it reminds me again to let the important people know how we feel and to live life, to consider our futures and if need be think of how to breathe life into a shmata.

You Knew Me Once

My Facebook friend list is far smaller than it once was and that was mostly intentional on my part. There are some people that used to be there that I think might have accidentally been culled.

Since the thinning of the herd there have been some additions as I have reconnected with old friends and neighbors.

If life were a movie there might be a scene in which some of them would gather and one of us would say “you knew me once.”

Dependent upon the mood and tone it could lead to all sorts of interesting things.

You could look someone in the eye and follow up with, “you ought to get to know me again” or “I still know parts of you in a way no one else does.”

A few hours ago I was asked why I was so quiet and I just shrugged my shoulders, “don’t have much to say.”

Inside my head there was a ton of activity, a game of chess being plotted and played out as the mind measured potential moves.

But it was unlikely to have been recognized by those who asked about my silence. Some of the changes I sensed coming have arrived and the impact and outcome are still being played out.

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I inserted myself into an online argument today that was taking place within a Facebook group. It is the third or fourth iteration and for a moment I wondered if there was any upside to doing so.

Don’t need the hassle and understand that some minds won’t be changed but ultimately drew my line in the sand again because some people need to know that others stand with them.

And some people need to know that others stand against them and have the wherewithal to do so time and time again.

It is surreal to listen to people try to lecture others about moral decay while they fail to recognize the platform they are standing upon is dried manure.

Can’t figure if they have gone nose blind or think eating crap sandwiches proves they have some special characteristic.

I told one of them that trying to smile while wolfing down a shit sandwich doesn’t mask the stench. “You’re no better than the other Sneetches who think you were given a special star by the mythology you follow. I can make the case that my own mythology provided me with a bigger one.

But you won’t catch me eating that sandwich and smiling. I am not part of a cult.”

Clean Up The Kingdom

Took a look at the calendar and recognized it has been a long while since anyone had wandered through the secret garden into the kingdom.

Figured I haven’t ridden by to see if there are any issues or concerns so it is probably time to go back and see about cleaning it up.

Probably time to consider whether the drawbridge ought to be raised or if the guards need to be sent out.

Things can happen when you don’t engage in maintenance. Sometimes we dread such moments because we don’t know what will come of it but often the best we can do is engage in that which we have avoided.

There comes a time when silence no longer serves and you need to use your voice.