Constitution brings balance during difficult times
There were Christmas cards still to be written and mailed or emailed, but there was still a December column to be written. Plenty of time, I thought about two weeks ago, but time flies for me.
And there are few working days left at the paper this week, so here I am on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, way behind the shepherds but ahead of the three kings. My gift is a wish for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for all of you who may read this.
There is a Japanese saying, “May you live in interesting times,” and we are certainly doing that. However, our founding fathers were very wise in the ways of human behavior, and they left us a democratic Republic that, if we follow the constitution, should be able to keep the country in balance. I don’t know if times then were quite so contentious or money and power quite so important, but, given human nature, they probably were. The difference probably lies in the numbers of people and the speed at which information flies about.
The things that I really worry about are the increase in lies and the decrease in honesty. My hope for the new year is that all of us try to be honest, forthright but polite, compassionate, and, above all, kind to and considerate of others — including animals.
It is, literally, icy this morning — frost all over roofs and lawns. If I remember correctly, we haven’t had such cold days in the last few years. I can‘t believe my caretaker picked a variety of rosebuds just a couple of days ago. Thank goodness, all the potted plants have been moved under cover. I’ve had a grow light installed for the large hibiscuses ((hibisci?) in the garage; I hope they bloom earlier and better than last year. The paper whites are already blooming, and lots of “bulbous greenery” has already grown pretty high. Hope the frost and cold doesn’t go on long enough to nip them in the bud.
I mustn’t forget to mention the time before last week’s wicked wind blew off all the leaves that two crape myrtles and my large Japanese tree were singing to me in yellow, orange, and that wonderful cherry red/orange/wine color I can never describe. The last leaves of autumn are truly memorable, like beloved photographs. The joy is that we can look through the album again next year — all things being equal.
Before going on, I must acknowledge my mistake in
thinking School Street is the east/west dividing line for addresses. Two very kind people made me realize the error of my ways (and I bet of a lot of you were muttering under your breaths about what a dumb-dumb!). Sacramento Street is the east/west divider line. One kind man told me that when he came to Lodi years ago, he was told that all directions were marked by the Lodi arch. An easy way to remember. So the address of Franco’s kitchen is quite correct.
Speaking of restaurants, California Al’s is going to be open Christmas morning, just as on Thanksgiving. (Or so I understood a week or so ago.) There were a lot of takeouts that day, so that’s probably an option. Al is serving a traditional Christmas dinner. Call 365-1805 for details.
No matter what the weather, the appointments, the home tasks, I always find some time to read, usually upon going to bed when nothing else can interrupt — except falling asleep and waking up some hours later with the book on the floor and the light still on!
Geordie cat, who shares (?) the bed, is unhappy about this; he prefers the dark, of course! Latest reads: “Three Men in a Boat,” written by Jerome K. Jerome in 1898 and rife with dry English wit, and “The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be,” by Farley Mowat, (a Canadian who also wrote about wolves and the Arctic) a book I consider the funniest thing I ever read; he also wrote “The Boat That Wouldn’t Float,” a close second in funny-ness. (Humor is too constrained a word to use with this book.)
Just started Megyn Kelly’s brand new biography; waiting in the wings are a book by retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, and poor old Genghis Khan. One of my New Year’s resolutions is to move him to the top of the list. But, like Abou Ben Adhem, leading all the rest will be the latest Pat Conroy, a collection (I think with other authors) of reminiscences of his native South Carolina.
And one to end with: Years ago when I was in boarding school, we had to spend 20 minutes of Quiet Time between breakfast and classes, and inspirational books were available. Among these were some by David Grayson (pen name for Ray Stannard Baker), philosophical musings about life on a small farm in Massachusetts. Here is one such:
“Wherever I have gone in my life. . .I have found the earth, lying there patient and beautiful according to its nature, waiting humbly to be known.” He wrote this in 1942. Makes you think.