TV and radio won't let you get away from it--9/11 is everywhere--as it should be today.
The question people are asked is 'where were you on 9/11?'
I've tried and tried and can't remember.
I was living in the house I'm in now--that is certain.
Beyond that, I have no idea.
Have I blocked it out of my memory because it was so painful?
I don't know....
Where were you?
I read an article on line today about the most educated and least educated states.
Connecticut, where I've lived for most of my life, is the 4th most educated state in the union. The ones who are ahead are 3. Maryland, 2. Vermont and 1. Mass.
Not bad, considering the three above CT all have great colleges and universities.
The state that is least educated is (hold on...) West Virginia.
That's where I was born and spent all my life until I went off to Harvard at 22.
Bern and I lived there again and both our children were born in Charleston while I was the priest at St. James there.
But then we moved to CT and have been here ever since.
So, moving from the least educated state to most of my life in CT. seems a good move.
(I just told Bern and she agreed!)
Our daughter replied to our 'good visit' ideas with 'she's manipulating you!'
Bern and I pondered that and then decided...
MAYBE SO.....
Who knows?
Maybe we'll find out later....
Our daughter-in-law (soon to be divorced from our son) spent the night with one of their twins on the way to Boston for college.
I was nervous about it because the separation has be contentious.
But it went well.
We assured her she would always be our daughter-in-law and the mother of our grandchildren. She appreciated it and was very kind in return.
"Because of the girls," she told me, "we have shared on genes."
True.
And the college kid was wonderful to have with us.
All in all a good time.
But I feel sorry for her for what she's going through.
So, I went to Big Y to order fish and chips for our Anniversary dinner (Bern's choice) and to pick up this great cheese cake with fruit topping for our desert.
The couple in front of me had bags and bags full of stuff. They used a gift card and then nearly $100 in cash to pay.
As the clerk was ringing up my dessert the guy came back and said, "how much?"
She said, "fifteen dollars" and the guy threw a ten and a five on the counter to pay for the cheese cake.
I was so stunned I said, "did he just do that?"
She smiled and said, "happy anniversary".
I had told her when I was checking out and he must have heard.
I rushed to catch up with them and they were out and gone before I could find them.
What astonishing kindness from a total stranger who didn't wait to be thanked.
What a day...in so many ways....
I need to figure out how to pass it on....
We all do....
Bern and I will be married 56 years tomorrow!
Hard to believe I've been so lucky to spend over 2/3 of my life with her.
There have been rough spots along the way--but not many.
2 kids and 4 grand kids have come out of it all.
A lots of dual respect and love.
Until I retired from full time ministry she came to church almost every Sunday and brought the kids. At one point they could have been a great trio of voices.
Since then, she's retired from church!
Fine with me. She did so much along the way--trained church school teachers, was a reader in services, did lots of behind the scene stuff and gave me great advice.
I love her so.
Now she does a lot for me as I'm not the young man I was....
I am one lucky guy to have met her in high school Latin class....Amo, amas, amat (if that's right...been a while).....
It's not the easiest thing--but not that bad.
I should be doing that now instead of this.
So much is coming up--our anniversary on Saturday, a visit from our soon to be ex-daughter in law and one of her college age girls, Sunday church and visiting a dying parishioner. Lots of stuff.
But I have to write a sermon.
I'm going to center on Jesus saying "when two are three are gathered in my name, I will be in the midst of them."
He's talking about 'church', though that won't happen until many decades after his death and resurrection. And the Gospels about him won't be written for several hundred years.
But he is assuring us that he will be in the midst of us when we gather to worship him.
A big favor to us--two or three--gathered in his name....
