4.30.2020 – some who make world worse

Some who make world worse
don’t take day off. How can I?
Light up the darkness

Today’s haiku is adapted from a quote from Bob Marley.

Mr. Marley said, “The people that are trying to make the world worse never take a day off, why should I. Light up the darkness.”

According to Wikipedia, On 3 December 1976, two days before “Smile Jamaica”, a free concert organised by the Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley in an attempt to ease tension between two warring political groups, Marley, his wife, and manager Don Taylor were wounded in an assault by unknown gunmen inside Marley’s home. Taylor and Marley’s wife sustained serious injuries but later made full recoveries. Bob Marley received minor wounds in the chest and arm. The attempt on his life was thought to have been politically motivated, as many felt the concert was really a support rally for Manley. Nonetheless, the concert proceeded, and an injured Marley performed as scheduled, two days after the attempt. When asked why, Marley responded, “The people who are trying to make this world worse aren’t taking a day off. How can I?”

4.29.2020 – reality so

reality so
subtle that it is more real
than reality

I used to have a rule.

I refused to work somewhere unless there was one other person in the building who knew who Alfred Stieglitz was.

This changed from a rule to a hope.

Then it changed to a wish.

I will ask co-workers from time to time if they had ever heard of Alfred Stieglitz.

I try to stay away from mentioning his wife, Georgia O’Keefe.

I do this for two reasons.

One is that I want the person to really be acquainted with Stieglitz for himself and not for his wife.

The other is that I am afraid that I would be doubly disappointed if the person had not heard of Georgia O’Keeffe.

But there it is.

I was thinking of Mr. Steiglitz today.

It was raining here is Georgia and the streets and rain slicked and wet.

When I see rain slicked, wet streets I think of the photograph, A Wet Day on the Boulevard, Paris – 1894 taken by Mr. Steiglitz.

The rain and the wet in the photograph are more real than real.

A subtle reality more real than reality.

It was Mr. Steiglitz who said, “In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.”

Beyond photograph, in this covid impacted life, reality itself has become so distant, so subtle that I begin to doubt reality.

How did this happen.

Maybe it’s more real in black and white.

Wikipedia says, “Reality is the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent within a system, as opposed to that which is only imaginary.”

Well, what if I can only imagine reality.

Does that make it less real?

Look at the photograph again.

Then look at again,

Truly, in this photograph, there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.

4.28.2020 – there are decades when

there are decades when
nothing happens, there are weeks
when decades happen

I am quoting Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov or as he was better known, Vladimir Lenin.

So what?

Later on I will also be quoting Marx.

ANYWAY . . .

I have aged 10 years in the couple of months.

I say that as the last couple of months have lasted 10 years.

Or is it that the last couple of months seem like one long day.

If it has been one long day, a month of these days would be years long.

Thirty days hath September,
April, June, and November,
all the rest have thirty-one
Except for April which has 8000

Groucho Marx once said, “My favorite poem is the one that starts ‘Thirty Days Hath September…’ because it actually means something“

I have no idea what he would say about any of this but I am sure it would be funny.

Most likely he would have said, “It’s quitting time in New York.”

Mr. Groucho did say “I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.“

That would suit me fine right now.

If I listen to Mr. Marx and Mr. Lenin, and if I have just that one day, today.

Then I am going to be happy in it.

That that day is lasting forever is not such a bad thing.

4.27.2020 – Abnormal normal

Abnormal normal
so much no longer the same
so few months ago

What to do when expectation for the ordinary is expect that nothing is ordinary.

When the the normal is abnormal.

Lucky for this country people of great expectations used to show up as Presidents.

Abraham Lincoln, who said at Gettysburg, ‘The World will little note what we say here.”

I mention that to make the point that Mr. Lincoln could be wrong.

But he knew change when it saw it.

Change when he saw it coming.

Change when he was in the midst of it.

Change when he was orchestrating it.

When change was the norm.

On December 1, 1862, in his message to Congress;

“The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise — with the occasion.

As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew.

We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.

We — even we here — hold the power, and bear the responsibility.“

How would the country do when faced with the abnormality of war?

Mr. Lincoln warned, “We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of earth.”

How shall the county handle the Corona Crisis.

Nobly save?

Meanly lose?

4.26.2020 – uncertainty cheats

uncertainty cheats
concentration, attention
stress accumulates

Reading today in The Guardian in the article, We live in stressful times, a perfect moment to try to turn off and tune out, Nosheen Iqbal writes:

The zapping of our concentration and attention spans may seem anecdotal, but there is substantial neuroscience to explain it. Living through a pandemic plugged with sadness, fear and uncertainty is a mind soup designed to tip us off balance. Rationally, I know this. Studies have shown time and again that the impact of stress on the brain robs it of its ability to process information, retain it and focus. Be it big-picture worries or everyday life adjustments, stress accumulates.

Uncertainty.

Who?

What?

Where?

When?

How?

Any answers for any of these?

How?

Nope.

When?

Nope.

Where?

Nope.

What?

Nope.

Who?

I watched Dr. James Merritt this morning from the church we attend here in Georgia.

Dr. Merritt answered the “who” question.

He said, “When you don’t know what God is doing, remember WHO God is.”

I was quick to pass this off as once again as Christian’s we are to focus on Eternity.

Christ provides us with Eternity.

Isn’t that enough even with faced with the uncertainty of every day life?

Isn’t that enough when finances are messed up.

Well, yes.

Isn’t that enough when toilet paper runs low?

Well, yes.

Isn’t that enough when uncertainty is every where.

Well, yes, but.

BUT!

But when money runs low, when toilet paper runs out, when uncertainty manages to steam roll every other emotion, the promise of Eternity, and this sounds so shallow, can be pretty thin gruel.

I get it, but up against the daily dose of stress, Eternity can seem a long way off.

Then Dr. Merritt threw me for a loop and hit one for six out of the park.

Because Dr. Merritt didn’t turn to the New Testament and the promise of salvation to make his point.

Dr. Merritt went to the Old Testament and the much un-read book of Habakkuk.

Dr. Merritt focused on Chapter 3 verses 17-18, Habakkuk prays,

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.”

Uncertainty in everyday life, Old Testament style.

No crops.

No sheep.

No cattle,

What, where, why, how?

Not sure.

Who?

The answer to Who, is God.

And when the money runs low and there are no crops/

When the toilet papers runs out and there are no sheep.

When uncertainty hangs on every other question.

And I will remember who God is.

I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Bring on that uncertainty.

It don’t stand no chance.