Happy Friday, everyone!
How do people run daily? A big shoutout to my neighbor and sometimes jogging buddy from Charles County. I say “sometimes” because a few times a week I’d haul my lazy self out to the pavement for a brief argument with Gravity and Inertia. He was consistently there.
The discipline has been imposed this week, though. Day Five, baby! Perhaps there was a bit of a slacking on the way back, and some botanical observation…some descent into the philosophical ramifications of apple trees.
After days of blazing sun, drenching rains, mad cat easterly winds, and the neighborhood trucks rolling out every morning in a growl of diesel…they’re forming fruit. That constant growth…relentless aim…it’s paying off. The oaks aren’t to be “out-lifted” in this natural gym. The acorns are noticeable. The deer that snort and dash out of their leafy hiding will soon be enjoying a feast. Summer is in a quieter, serious phase. I hope your week has been fruitful, too. Slow and steady wins the race (but the race must be run.)
Somebody needs to drive by and yell “Hey you in the shorts! Stop botanizing, quit walking, and start running, Mister!”
Champaign for My Real Friends
(“And real pain for my sham ones.”) - Fall Out Boy
You want an interesting pairing, buddy? Something to scintillate the senses, an experience to nod both knowingly and wondering at? Instead of a root beer and chicken…no wait…(“Sophistication used up: please order more.”)
Try - The French Revolution and Jesus.
“You’re crazy, Josh.”
A brief tangent: I was moving a wood stove recently. A small country fella who appeared to be about seven going on thirty was hanging around while his dad helped, and we got to talking. He was heading back to elementary school in a few days, and confided to me that one of his lady friends said he was crazy. I leaned towards him in my camo hat and too-clean-for-country overalls, twisted an eyebrow up … “I always say ‘Tell me something I don’t know.’ Keep ‘em guessing, buddy.”
This is a good book on the French Revolution.
The text has left me wandering around, wide-eyed in horror at the modern parallels of what happens when people try to “fix” something. Phrases like “equality”, “liberty”, “safety” and “the people” become the thinnest of pretext for convenient murder. “It’s their fault!” the cry for massacre. The cloak of righteousness hangs bloody on the head of government, no longer concealing a vengeful stare that consumes anything and everything.
It’s the true story of what happens when something is broken, and the people “fixing” it blame everyone but themselves. They even took the church bells.
“Everything is your fault, and I can fix it.” (Usually, with a blade.)
This is the opposite story.
I’ve arrived at the singular position of annoying my atheist pals with Jesus talk, and my religious friends with metaphorical interpretation. “You’re crazy, Josh.” (See above, and small country fella.)
One of the many ways to view the teachings: This is what happens if you do the opposite of the Revolutionaries:
“I accept everything, and can only fix part of it.”
The case could be made that this is the story of ultimate responsibility (and humility.)
The study of outcome, of application, of mode of being seem considering. (And not just in a religious sense. Think more.)
These two works have got me pondering.
Happy Friday!
Josh