Perspective

The night the first FBI bombshell announcement came out we were on our way to a Brahms concert given by a local choir. My anger/distress level was so high at that point, I thought - why am I even here in the quietness of this church. My soul is not ready.

But when the opening strands of music began, they seemed to begin plucking at the knotted chords of my anxiety and loosened them one by one. And my spirit began to lift above the debris of this election season. The exquisite harmony of these voices poured over me. I thought about what a gift these singers gave to me - a gift that took hours and hours of practicing and discipline - and here it was, handed to me, unwrapped but precious as jewels,

And I thought of Brahms and Trump.

Some things endure.

Some wash away with the first rain. 

I hope tomorrow we will be washed clean.

and the winner is

One of the clues to my morning crossword puzzle was "reply to Little Red Hen request" and as I joyously printed "not I" my mind flew back to a sunny kitchen in Hinkletown. I was at the home of a friend and we were playing the game Little Red Hen! I have no idea how it was "played" but I remember so clearly "who's going to help me grind this wheat?" and the defiant, "not I". No one wanted to help but everyone wanted to be in on the party when it was done. I never forgot the lesson through all these years. And I'm not sure we even played the game that many times because I have only the vaguest memories of the details, but the moral sure stuck!

Games, games, games - what did/do we learn through them? I think the strategy and execution is a high component - but surely the ability to gracefully lose as well as win has to be paramount. It is a life lesson that has to be swallowed over and over and over!

And it doesn't get any easier!