Five things for your Friday... I know you can't wait!
- It is Groundhog Day. I'm not sure why this is still a thing, but it is (maybe climate change will someday change that). If you're interested in more info you can click these links (and, yes, I did used to be an honorary member of the Punxutawney Phil Fan Club, thanks to a friend who actually lived there): Groundhog Day; Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania; Punxsutawney Phil; For fanclub info.
- For many people this is also the Christian feast day known as Candlemas. While some folks are following the rodent, others are blessing candles, eating crepes and pancakes, and taking down Christmas decorations. Candlemas always falls on the 40th day after Christmas and is one of the oldest "Feasts" of the Church. Ben Sternke has a really insightful substack read on Why We Bless Ordinary Stuff (like candles) that you might like.
- On a personal note, I have been nursing some sores on my right foot all week. I got a blister between the ball of my foot and my big toe during last Saturday's 12-mile run. This is where I have always had issues, but it was extra discouraging because I was even wearing toe socks. I thought they had taken care of the problem, but these were a newish pair and are maybe a little too thick. Anyway, I popped the blister and then it got kind of gnarly. On a subsequent run I wrapped tape around my foot as a shield, and the tape wore two spots on the top of my foot that resulted in blisters. So I've been soaking the foot in epsom salts, disinfecting, and all that fun stuff. While I've been extra mindful of the dangers of falling while on blood thinners (for bruising, cuts, and internal bleeding), it never dawned on me that it would result in healing problems for things like this. Ugh. All those people who used to say "getting old sucks" were right!
- Speaking of things sucking... How about Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, the NFL, and conservatives?? I didn't even realize this was a thing until recently (probably because I don't watch the news or ever talk to anyone!). And, I'm too lazy to look back and see if I ever shared my frustration about any of it. Probably. But just let me say... I don't have a problem with Taylor - I even like what little of her music I've heard. I have a problem with capitalism (or capitalistic greed)! My issue is more with the glamification of celebrity culture and the ol' 'the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.' If Taylor and Travis are really an item, then by all means she should be at his games (and he should be at her concerts, no?). I guess my pessimistic brain has just assumed it was all about marketing and making millionaires and billionaires even more money. Plus there's a part of me - the part that has grown up a FOOTBALL fan and has for some time now disliked how it and all other sports have been turned into mere entertainment (for the purposes of making millionaires and billionaires even more money). Why can't football fans just get to watch football, and other people can do what they want? Oof. Maybe that's just me, I guess.
- Which brings up... When did it become necessary that we had to embrace the extremes on either side of every issue? What happened to the good old middle ground? Why have we chosen eccentricity over wisdom? Yeah... these are some thoughts I've been having while studying contemplative Christianity and trying to practice centering on the true Center. I suppose there are those who consider that to be extreme...
Okay, carry on my good folks. Pick your holidays, pick your fights, and get yourself carried-away distracted. Or... maybe try something else. I'm going to see if I can sit completely still for the next five minutes and breathe through the 'Jesus Prayer' (I'll have more to say about this another day).
Peace.
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