September Rain

     

"Alas!       How  easily things go wrong!
	A sigh too deep, or a kiss too long,
	Ant then comes a mist and a weeping rain,
	And life is never the same again. "                        -George MacDonald The world is in such a state that the weeping rain outside my window seems to be the appropriate soundtrack. Crazy evil in Europe and the Middle East-satisfying, fulfilling prophecy, some would say-so many young people dying senselessly, needlessly, wasting potential and health, and goodness that this world could use a lot more of. People in exile walking from country to country in hopes of better, safer, and more normal lives.   Others staying put, and enduring much- hoping the rescuers will come and the bombing will stop. So normal can be meal-preparation and scolding the children, and complaining about laundry. But normal for now is walking many miles in rain and with hunger-toward a new beginning and away from what was known And meanwhile the Pope comes to America and so does the tsar of Russia and the President of China- emerging all on soil of a people who have lost interest. For now, as long as there is a normal that includes soccer, and Halloween costume shopping and video games, there is no need to notice that things are changing everywhere and maybe even here. The gloomy world news and the gloomy day make me think about hope and sunshine and redemption. Eternal things "Sun's up, uuh huh, looks okay. The world survives into another day. And I'm thinking about eternity. " -Bruce Cockburn song spinning around in my head because really on days like today, it is perfectly acceptable to daydream about eternity. When there are no more reports of man's inhumanity to man, or cancer in babies and young mothers, stabbings, or poverty. It is okay to dream of something better and less messy. The rain will eventually stop, the news can just be turned off for now, but with September's end comes colorful October and a last chance for warm days before winter sets in with its unforgiving biting wind. Usually gloomy days don't inspire me- I want to sleep and read and drink tea and eat not because I am hungry but because I need comforting- as we all do these days.