Stories and Blessings

This is not a blessing:

Advert in today’s Baltimore Sun

This is a blessing:

Wishing you a story and song full Passover,

Thought-provoking Good Friday and Easter (and some good quality chocolate)

And those who are observing Ramadan, may your fasting be easy and your iftar is fun and the food on your plate plenty.

Pagans, remember to light a candle, too 🧡

These words from a friend (and used with permission) spoke to me this week in a way that many other seasonal posts have not. Probably because they are inclusive, spoken in love, and leavened with a touch of humor.

They are a reminder that these days do not belong to one faith alone, or even to any particular form of established religion.

Around town some folks are celebrating simply because the season for declaring political candidacy has ended and at long last we know who is running. Others look at the list of candidates and are moved more to penitence than feasting.

Some greet these days with a desire to immerse themselves in nature. The Spring weather inspires others to find a restaurant with great outdoor seating. Many others are waiting until sunset to break the fast with dates and a long-awaited sip of water or milk. Families gather to retell a story of escape from slavery with special foods and traditions.

At my church parishioners gathered for the first time in several years to partake in the much-loved Meatloaf Supper before the Maundy Thursday service which celebrates Jesus’ last meal* with his disciples and his washing of their feet.

Let us also remember our neighbors who will get up today and go to work because they need to get their hours in and they don’t have any choice about when they are scheduled.

Here in Columbia/HoCo some people have religion, some have none, and some have a sense of celebration and holiness for things we know nothing about. All are worthy of blessings and goodwill.

Whatever we celebrate, our stories tell a lot about who we are: where we come from, what we value, where we are going. Let’s keep telling those stories together.

*****

Serendipity? Almost exactly one year ago today:

Sharing Stories

*Historically speaking, there is no evidence that meatloaf was served at the Last Supper.

Comments

Teacher Gifts

Today is the last day of school before the Winter Break. It’s a good time to remember the far-reaching nature of our public school system. You may not have children. You may have sent your children to independent schools. It matters not. You will be impacted one way or another. Yesterday I read a long thread on Facebook about several waves of illness in the schools right now. There’s influenza A and norovirus, I believe. And of course there’s COVID. Apparently in some individual schools the rate of illness is high enough for school admin to notify parents. When I was little the acceptable holiday gift for a teacher was one of those lovely floral handkerchief squares. (I don’t know what it was for male teachers. They were rare in my elementary years.) These days the range of teacher gifts is wider and I have fond memories of Target gift cards which I have written about before. I think it’s safe to say that giving one’s teacher Influenza, norovirus, or COVID is not the ideal holiday...

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else. Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday. Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018. 2018 . But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest. In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...

Village Green/Town²

Search This Blog