Potter Ponderings

I'm listening to Harry Potter, have been lots. I'm at the end of the “Half-blood Prince”, with only a few hours left. I'm struck by how Rowling reflects the sinful nature of man so well.

One aspect is that Harry is so sure he is right, and doesn't trust Dumbledore. How often we are so certain of our ideas, that we really know the whole story. How often we refuse to trust someone who has shown themselves as trust worthy, someone who by age or station probably knows so much more. Rowling seems to be establishing Dumbledore as a 'almost-all-knowing” kind of character, who cares for those beneath him, almost God-like. With that thought in mind, I realized that often it is probably God who we don't trust. He who truly knows all, and loves us completely. How often are we like Harry, thinking we know enough to be righteous in our anger when we don't know all the perspectives.

Just a few random thoughts from an amateur philosopher.

Travel Plans

Whittier, CA – This fall is turning out to be a busy travel season for Pete and Rachael Younger, of Whittier, CA. “For some reason, all the single people we know decided to get married between Aug and Dec of 2007!” said Mrs. Younger, late last night after talking with her father about his wedding next weekend.

In August 2007, they were able to attend Andrew and Carla Braine's wedding, which took place in La Mirada, CA, in Biola's Calvary Chapel. “It was just beautiful, though it was one of the longest protestant wedding services I've ever been to.” states Mrs. Younger.
For Labor Day weekend, Mr. and Mrs. Younger traveled to Washington, DC to attend the wedding of their best man, Tim Luepke, who married Dawn Petchell, in DC on Sept 3, 2007. Mr. Younger said of the weekend, “it was successful, they are now married.”

The Younger's have three more weddings to attend this fall and one they will be forced to miss due to distance. First, the Younger's will travel to Lubbock, Texas the weekend of Sept 21, to attend the wedding of Mrs. Younger's father to Lorelei Geer, also of Lubbock, Texas. They will be married at the Wood Ranch just south of Lubbock the morning of Sept 22. In October, the Younger's plan to drive back to Lubbock, Tx to attend the wedding of Mrs. Younger's sister, Emily to Chris Brown, of Austin, Tx. “How can I miss my Dad's wedding? I'm my sister's matron of honor, I have to go!” said Mrs. Younger.

Christmas will take the Youngers to Wisconsin, to spend the holidays with Mr. Younger's parents, but the New Year will take them to PA, to attend the third, and final wedding of the year. Good friend Katy Salinas will marry Matt Smith on Dec 30, 2007, and the Younger's plan on being in attendance. With plans to spend New Year's Eve in the PA area, they will fly back to the Los Angeles area on New Year's Day, and, hopefully, will have the spring to spend staying at home.

Thesis Writing

Goodness, its been ages since I wrote anything. That is, in all likelyhood, because I have been busy writing my thesis. Yes, that big (huge) paper that is to be written to earn a Masters of Arts degree. Well, some take comprehensive exams; I on the other hand chose the longer, more difficult route. Why? I'm not sure. Perhaps to have something that I can read again later? Perhaps to have something published with my name on it? An ego trip? Yes, all of the above is at least somewhat correct. And so, with that short blog, I return to the writing of the thesis, with hopes that I finish before too long.

Death and Grieving

I picked up Celebration of Discipline thinking I might read a chapter. I opened to his acknowledgements and found this poem by Charles Wesley in the 1998 entry.

If DEATH my friend and me divide,
thou does not, Lord, my sorrow chide,
or frown my tears to see;
restrained from passionate excess,
thou bidst me mourn in calm distress
for them that rest in thess.

I feel a strong immortal hope,
which bears my mournful spirit up
beneath its mountain load;
redeemed from death, and grief and pain,
I soon shall find my friend again
within the arms of God.

Pass a few fleeting moments more
and death the blessing shall restore
which death has snatch away;
for me thou wilt the summons send,
and give me back my parted friend
in that eternal day.

~Charles Wesley

Oh, the tears came. I found myself wishing that Mom was hear to tell me that I’m okay, and its normal to feel tired with all that’s gone on. I desire her comfort. I want to hear her say that she understands and has been though something like it and to hear her tell her story. I still weep for that loss. I feel like it’s totally selfish to want those things when she has something so much better now. How can I wish that she were still here? I feel like that makes the whole sorrow bit even worse, that it is for my comfort that I want her back. Though it is me, us, who has suffered the loss, not her. It is Dad, Emily and I who experience the pain of death, not Mom. She is in glory, and knows not pain or suffering or difficulty. For me to acknowledge my desire for her comfort is probably good, I guess its an aspect of accepting this loss. Oh, loss hurts so much. It makes me angry to think that we must suffer such loss, such difficulty. I know why. That is no mystery. And I know the remedy offered. Again, no mystery. I guess it isn’t wrong for me to be angry about the effects of sin.

But what do I do with this loss, this anger? Yes, yes, embrace it. But HOW does one embrace loss? How do I embrace anger? What does it mean to accept it? I do not expect to ever stop feeling the loss of Mom. Though I’m guessing the sharpness of the pain will pass. At the same time, there is something in me that hopes the pain never goes away, I don’t ever want to think of Mom and not feel a sharp pain at her absence. I hope that isn’t wrong, and I hope that I can accept/handle whatever happens.