SOMEWHERE, ON THE GRANDPA SCALE… [Sat, 8-8-20]

 

CHRIST IN WINTER: Reflections on Faith & Life for the Years of Winter

SOMEWHERE, ON THE GRANDPA SCALE…  [Sat, 8-8-20] 

I am fearful for a friend I shall not name here because I think he is guilty of child abuse. To wit: he made his 11 yo grandson read this blog last week, so that they could talk about it on their weekly zoom call. The assignment, of course, makes sense at one level. I prefer to think that my attempts at humor are more mature, of the 14 yo variety, but an advanced 11 yo would be able to “get” it. Nonetheless, requiring a 21^st century kid to read a blog designed for 20^th century people, created by a 19^th century mind, is surely at least a 3 on the scale of evil.

But my friend’s grandson did enjoy my own grandson’s notice that it’s not an adventure unless something goes wrong, and he understood weird love, and also he liked the column about opossum rehabilitation. Of course, who wouldn’t be interested in opossum rehab, what with the opioid crisis, and all? However, if we’re really interested in opossum rehab, we should start by restoring their original name of O’Possum, which they had in Ireland, before the 18^th century Guinness shortage drove them to The New World.

I’m surprised by Phil’s willingness to let his grandson see into the world of old people. Phil’s actually a rather Christian gentleman, mostly, even though he rides a motorcycle [Sturgis, anyone? I’m told it’s lovely in the Dakotas during a pandemic.], so I don’t think he’s doing it to be cruel.

Perhaps he is practicing what they call “tough love,” letting this boy see early on what he will be up against. The world of old people is not a very inspirational place these days. It’s probably wise for this Zach to learn now not only what a mess we have made of the world, but that we have no idea how to clean it up. “Too bad, boy; it’s up to you.”

But Phil is saying something else to his grandson, I think. He’s saying, “I trust you. I have confidence in you. When it comes your time to be part of the solution, you’ll know what the problems are… because you’ve read Christ In Winter.” That, on the goodness scale, is at least a 7.

So I’ll continue to do my part, which mostly is providing helpful images to contemplate, like this Irish O’Possum.

John Robert McFarland