March 7

Time marches on

In the heavy duty meeting at school today, someone made reference to that truism. The meaning there was that while we fritter away at disfunctional inertia and back-tracking, stupid mistakes etc. The real business at hand must be attended to.
It reminded of the question from the past days about how to be a peacemaker in the midst of a situation that is so fraught, so tied in knots, the alienation and distrust so deep, that even simple, “Good morning” is not possible?
My intuition was to say that it’s not always possible to be a peacemaker. That making peace requires a kairos moment.
But I’m not really sure I believe that.

Julian’s call

I responded like the father in Chapin’s “Cat’s Cradle.” I was so grateful to get a call from my son. He was apologetic at having an over-busy life and not responding to messages. I was glad that he was ok and that we were now talking.
As parents the tables get turned at a certain point. Owen expressed his sense of responsibility for his mother, for her well-being, and for her future housing several years ago. I wondered then whether I would ever have that experience of a child thinking about me and my well-being. I guessed probably, “no” was the answer.
I thought about the cultural dynamics I have become aware of here in Hawai’i where parents and the elderly are held in high regard.
It makes me think of how our country gives mouth service to respecting elderly and children, but doesn’t really provide it.