I’ve always thought that a sport coat can be worn a couple times before you bring it to the cleaners. There was a time in my life when I’d grab my blue blazer out of the closet and find a few cocktail straws in the pockets.
At this stage in my life I’m finding more funeral cards in my once worn jackets.
It’s just the way life goes….
Young people go to weddings and older people go to funerals.
Yesterday morning when I was going through sport coats to wear for a funeral, I found a couple prayer cards. I went with a brown tweed that was still hanging in the cleaner’s bag. Next time I wear it to an event, I’ll find Ed Bergmann’s funeral card.
The picture on the card was taken by George last summer in the Camera shop they often visited. On the back is the big boy of prayers, the “Our Father.” Under the picture with a smile and a golf cap is 9/25/41-11/11/23.
I stared up at this last paragraph for a minute before I started writing this one. The dates of a life always have a special meaning to me when I look at them. That birthday, the dash and then the death.
I started going to family funerals as a child. Great grandparents, great aunts, older third cousins…. Those dates were ancient, 3/9/1893-5/15/1980.
As I got older I’d come across a funeral card, 6/17/1913-11/27/1991 and then occasionally there were the unexpected ones for those who died young, 7/16/1975-4/25/1994 and 7/25/68-9/11/01.
Now I’m in the period where I’m seeing the dates from my parents generation, 8/3/1937-5/6/2016 and 11/16/1935-10/03/2020.
I need to wear a sport coat out when I get a couple cocktails, so I can start finding more straws again.
Today is the day we celebrate the Immaculate Conception. Basically it’s when Jesus’ mom finds out she is pregnant. As a young Catholic kid I could never figure out what was going on.
I was learning that mommies took about a year to have a baby. The Blessed Virgin Mary had an angel tell her on December 8th that she was going to have a baby and she’s giving birth to Jesus a couple weeks later? In a barn?
This doesn’t make any freaking sense Sister Mary Francis Irene!
We have weddings, cocktail straws, funerals, prayer cards and virgin births here today on the Morning Chalkboard.
Let’s not forget we started Hanukkah last night. I’ve got to figure out if I light my menorah before or after I light my Shabbat candles tonight. It’s very confusing to be a Judeo-Christian, Cafeteria Catholic.
Add dreidels and Maccabees to the list of weddings, cocktail straws, funerals, prayer cards and virgin births.
We have it all covered on the Friday Chalkboard. Unfortunately you’ll need to put your own smile on the sun today. I have clouds up on the board.
I do have a double nickel up for the high today. I’ll take that on the 8th of December every year.
We have Zoo Lights and “The Bishop’s Wife” this weekend. Army versus Navy and Shepelinni pizza as well!
Have a lush weekend and work on that dash between the dates. Keep making your hyphen longer with good health and happiness.
