Wednesday morning is filled with light.

Struggling with my laptop, seeming to have a mind of its own, (it doesn’t) multiple apps attempted to run, and the machine locked up. Shutting it down, sure enough, upon reboot the chaos of the prior session disappeared. Thus keyboard and screen behave in concert, and I view the words, line by line appearing on the screen… That is magic! Or is it? What is meant by that word, “magic”? In ordinary usage we mean to say an experience of extraordinary impression, that I do not understand.

There is a great deal that I do not understand about my life, most of it in fact. Whereas I have survived a considerable way past childhood, I have learned very little of what I see, hear, touch, taste, and smell is a threat to well-being. Experience, that great teacher

impresses upon me my good fortune to be present, to effect my immediate surroundings with my own meaning, and reciprocally to receive the meaning crafted by others. There is more, much more to appreciate than my capacity for wonder can absorb, even with a very shallow understanding. I do not know much, and for the most part, I am unafraid.

Always though, bad shit arrives! A severe sickness (covid), a government obviously disintegrating (congress, Trump, the democratic party), war (Ukraine, Iran) – these qualify as big ones.

On such occasions it is a human reflex to pray. One prays inwardly, silently. Perhaps it is customary to go to Mass, finding comfort in the elevation of bread and wine, body and blood lifeboat… Religion taken by a wide angle lens, is an instinctive response to events manifestly lethal, that no one understands. Does it matter to whom, to what one prays? It does not.

We pray because we are human. Does any other mammal pray, say chimps? What about cows? Silly question. How could I know?

These are a few thoughts sparked by a post received from a friend about religion.  Read the post HERE.

However my interest is focused upon the function of awe in the modern social context, especially what happens when our innate anxiety is hijacked by political movements. Our quest for beauty and meaning transcending ourselves is overrun by ersatz guarantees of solace and remedy by celebrity leaders augmented by the artifice of stage-craft. We moderns love ‘bread and a circus’.

P. T. Barnum, the master showman is rumored to have said “There’s a sucker born every minute”. Some claim that’s a misattribution. He never said that.    

More images of splendor. Flowers about the yard.  

Yes, a single flower may cause one to pray!

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Here is today’s pick: Rockford’s sons, Cheap Trick perform If You Want My Love, a great arena rock anthem.