I met with a friend yesterday afternoon.  To meet with someone across a table is an extraordinary privilege in these days of the spread of covid-19.  Typically exchanges of any kind that are conducted indoors take place on video screens.  Extreme caution is justified as the virus often is debilitating and there is always the risk of dying.

Sadly a Zoom session is not to be compared to the depth and dimension of a face to face encounter.  Much is lost when another person becomes a two dimensional image, a tracing of pixels on the LCD screen, combined with a voice reproduced through the tiny laptop speaker.  I recall that another friend commented recently that he couldn’t wait until the full development of virtual reality.  I am happy to wait.  I have no doubt that a three dimensional representation of a person can be no other than a simulacrum, — infinitely processed, standing, shimmering and ghostly before us.

So, we sat and talked for a while, and enjoyed the aroma and taste of a superior cup of coffee obtained from the Ambrosia Patisserie.  The sun slowly sank to the horizon in the West behind us.  One told and the other listened to the old stories.  The stories were of adventure, taking risk without knowing with any certainty the outcome.  One knows that according to well established principle, the physics should result in a safe conclusion, and a fine story to be told later.  But there was and never could be a guarantee.  The calculated risk!  Why do we take those risks, especially when we are young, having a reserve of strength and stamina?  Is one running as fast as one can from some inner demon?  I can answer only for myself.  Also I believe that demons and angels live on the knife edge of the tedium of the ordinary.  One must venture to the edge, to the boundary of the known and dependable.

What would it be like, if…..?

Here is a tune to help us get through.  This one calls back memories.  I can almost feel the heat of the summer day without a breeze, and smell the sawdust on the ground under the tent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=451H6kaKeSU

Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show

Hot August night
And the leaves hanging down
And the grass on the ground smellin’ sweet
Move up the road to the outside of town
And the sound of that good gospel beat
Sits a ragged tent
Where there ain’t no trees
And that gospel group tellin’ you and me
It’s Love, Brother Love, say
Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show
Pack up the babies and grab the old ladies
And ev’ryone goes, ’cause everyone knows
Brother Love’s show

Room gets suddenly still
And when you’d almost bet
You could hear yourself sweat, he walks in
Eyes black as coal
And when he lifts his face
Ev’ry ear in the place is on him
Starting soft and slow
Like a small earthquake
And when he lets go,
Half the valley shakes

It’s Love, Brother Love, say
Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show
Pack up the babies and grab the old ladies
And ev’ryone goes, ’cause everyone knows
Brother Love’s show

[Sermon]

Take my hand in yours,
Walk with me this day
In my heart I know, I will never stray
Halle, halle, halle, halle
Halle, halle, halle, halle
It’s Love, Brother Love, say
Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show
Pack up the babies
And grab the old ladies and ev’ryone goes
I say, Love, Brother Love, say
Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show
Pack up the babies
And grab the old ladies and ev’ryone goes…

Written by Neil Diamond