CHRIST IN WINTER:
Reflections on Faith & Life for the Years of Winter
Cole Porter may not agree
that 2 out of 3 ain’t bad, but he ain’t necessarily right. [1] He got only the
last two right for the title of my birthday song: I’m not bewitched, but I am
bothered and, mostly, bewildered.
So many questions… How did
this happen? Why was it so fast? Why do other people my age seem so old? Where
are my glasses? What should I do when I grow up?
At last I’m in the top 2%.
No, not the top 2% financially. I’m in the top 2% of the grim reaper’s list.
Today I start my 9th decade.
I was hoping to let this
pass by unnoticed, so I would not have to deal with it, but my wife secretly
[until someone unintentionally blew her cover] conspired with several folks to
make sure I received a whole bunch of really neat cards and letters, some from
people I’ve never even met. It’s sort of nice to be noticed even when you don’t
want to be.
I remember when we had
class officer elections at the end of our junior year in high school. I had
been class president for three years. I told my classmates as the election came
near, “Please don’t elect me as class president again. I will be editor of the
school newspaper next year, and since I want a career in journalism, it’s
important I spend all my time on that.” They graciously accepted my demurrer
and elected my good friend, Mike Dickey.
It was only then that I
realized: I really wanted them to rise up and say, “Oh, no, you have been our
president forever. You have done such a wonderful job. We can’t possibly get
along without you as president.”
I learned two lessons: 1]
It’s better to say what you mean, even if you don’t know what you mean. [2] You
can be right even when you don’t mean to be, because Mike was an excellent
president, and I dropped out of school in mid-year to work in a factory and
could not have fulfilled class president duties, and I did not have a career in
journalism.
So, yes, I’ll say what I
mean: I’m old, and I’m proud. Thanks for noticing.
JRMcF
I tweet as yooper1721.
1] Yes, I know that’s the
Gershwins; don’t get picky.
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