Speaking of Memory...

[porphyry]

On Thursday night, Andrew went with his grandfather (my father), to see Grammy in the hospital. Andrew is currently confined to a wheelchair while his broken leg mends.

Later, Andrew kept telling me about how he had almost been in another wreck. I didn't think too much about it since I thought he was talking about the actual car wreck in which his leg was broken.

It turns out he was right. Apparently, as my father was pushing Andrew's little wheelchair towards the sidewalk ramp, a driver parked by the curb who was trying to pull into the street and didn't see my father or Andrew. The car lurched forward and nearly struck them, but the driver was able to slam on the brakes before we had another catastrophe to deal with.

"What did Papa say?" I asked Andrew.

He thought, trying to remember. Then he affected a deep, loud voice. "Damn it, God, why don't you look where you're going and clear out, you sunny!"

What Papa really said was (the loud voice was correct on Andrew's part): "Goddammit, why don't you look where you're going before you try to clear out, you son-of-a-bitch!"

Andrew has since perfected it.

Comments

[stefanie-bean.livejournal.com]

Around here, at least, I've found the Mormons to be pretty nice. A couple of Mormon guys caught us one Saturday morning as we came home from grocery shopping. They offered to carry our groceries in (we declined.) I know they just wanted to get a foot in the door, but at least they were willing to do something other than simply talk.

About the most organized, religiously, we get around here is that my husband goes to Masonic meetings. I would actually like to go to church once in awhile, not because I am that devout a believer (I'm not sure I'm a believer at all anymore, at least not in any orthodox sense), but because the Roman Mass was the cultural linchpin of the West, so to speak, for centuries, and I like old things with long continuity. Or an Anglican church that really followed the 1662 Book of Common Prayer would be nice, too. I just want to participate in something that old. But everyone wants to make the Mass "relevant."

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

Mormons are terribly polite--so polite, I find it hard to be anything but polite in return. How do they do that? :)

Well, I can remember a time when the Mass was in Latin--and I can remember the switch to English--and ever since that time I've longed for a return to Latin. I like the long history; the tradition of religion too. The "relevancy" issue--you are quite right to me was part of the great loss I feel. It's hard to explain--religion isn't supposed to be about you; it's supposed to be bigger than you. Does that make any sense? Like the language change--I didn't understand Latin but I understood.

Benicek, quit laughing at me. :)

[stefanie-bean.livejournal.com]

LOL, they really work hard at it. I really can't criticize their theology, because when you come right down to it, many religious ideas sound strange to those "outside the fold." I tend to look at how people act towards others, and in general the Mormons I've met have been nice people.

I wasn't raised Catholic, but I converted (badly) some years ago, and then lapsed into antinomianism. When Catholic I did hear the Tridentine Latin Mass at St. Agatha's several times. I think St. Francis de Sales down on Gravois is where they have the Latin Mass now. Have you ever been?

Re understanding, I guess I lean more to the Orthoox way, because to my mind, the liturgy is something to be experienced with the whole body (sight, sound, smell, emotion) and the intellect second. Anyway, if it's true (not arguing that point, just raising it for the case in point), then you wouldn't really be able to understand it in any case - if you believe the dogmatic theologians, you'd *never* be able to understand it; it would always be beyond you, even when you were translated into heaven.

:blows kiss to Benicek from the "amen corner," LOL: