Things you don't know

So, until yesterday I thought that the difference in electricity in Europe and the Americas was that Europe had 'direct current' and we have 'alternating current'--AC/DC stuff.

Then Bill and Charles told me it's really about the voltage 200 and some in Europe and 100 and some here, whatever voltage means.

All I know is whenever I've gone to Ireland I've either burned up a converter or not taken my CPAP machine. I have sleep apnea and really love my machine.

How can you be in your 60's and not know the difference between 'current' and 'voltage'?

Well, start out by being me.

Bill and Charles are two of the members of our Tuesday morning group. Mike, Andy and David (who had surgery and hasn't been there for a couple of months) are the reliable members. Think about this: this group that meets every week is named, for the most part, James, Michael, Andrew, Charles, William and David. Our one female member is Sandra. Fifty years ago, such a gathering would not have been unusual--today, that many ordinary names is almost unheard of. Which says something, I suspect, about the age of the group! When 'Armando' comes we creep a short step into the modern USA! 

A member who used to come and doesn't anymore and I still can't quite fathom why was 'Fred'. How white-bread and white skinned can you have a group be!

When Fred came I used to tell people 'on Tuesday morning I'm with three people who between them know everything!'

Truth be known (and why not?) just Bill and Charles seem to know everything between them--like the AC/DC vs. voltage thing and the names of obscure royalty and the bishops of the church and about fiords and rock formations and rare creatures...I could go on and on but I'll spare you.

Just know this: if you're in a room with Charles and Bill and Fred (alas, I miss him so) you're in a room where all that can be known is somehow known.

It used to piss me off, how they knew absolutely everything, but now I revel in it because I know it is the weekly 'humbling' I need to be a better person.

My grandmother used to say to me and my cousins: "don't get above your raisin'!"

Without my Tuesday morning humbling, I soon would--thinking I'm pretty damn smart (magna cum lauda, Phi Beta Kappa that I am)--but being around Fred and Charles and Bill (and now Charles and Bill) I know how very little I really know.

A good place to begin each day is by knowing there are lots of things you don't know.

In that direction lies wisdom. That I truly believe.

Tuesday mornings make me wise by showing me how little I know....

Something to ponder long and hard....