Analogy

I was searching for an analogy to how our manic middling media scoriated President Trump for his innocent query about using antiseptics to kill coronavirus inside the body. (“For God’s sake, he wants us to drink Lysol!”) My perspicacious wife quickly retorted, “piranhas attacking a prey.”

I think I’ll use it!

Dutch

A butterfly dutchman

Dutch treat — everyone pays one’s own way

In Dutch — in trouble with someone

Dutch uncle — a friend giving firm but benevolent advice

Double Dutch — jumping rope with two long ropes going in opposite directions

“Durch” — Ronald Reagan

Dutch widow — a prostitute

Dutch oven — a heavy cooking pot often used for braising meat

Dutch door — a door which can be opened at the top and not the bottom

Dutch wife — a pillow or booster used to keep warm or cool with

“It’s Dutch to me” — “I don’t understand”

Dutchman — a wooden insert to cover a flaw in a exposed board

Diapers

Today my witty wife, Jeanette, sent me the following quote:

“Politicians are like diapers; they need to be changed often and for the same reason.” Mark Twain

I agree ...  actually, politicians of both stripes are often pristine up until the time they first take office. Then for some strange reason Republicans avoid being besotted for a little bit longer than Democrats (in Massachusetts, they are so pervasively corrupt I like to call them Democraps). Good reason to vote for Republicans or Independents ... but only for their first couple of terms in office.

Thank You

Coming up on the day called “Thanksgiving” the subject of this reflection manifests itself. This therefore is a paean to all that makes my life good. But first let me explain what I mean by the“you” in “thank you.” Being a secular humanist I don’t necessarily mean God … but then again I don’t really want closely to identify myself with secular humanists. Too many of these people unfortunately want to take away some of the things that help make my life good. What are really wrong with church bells on a Sunday morning anyway? Secular humanist are laden with babinzoes who are too full of bile to recognize that these bells are calling to assembly a bunch of neighbors who wish me no harm. Rather, by “you” I mean everyone who has preceded me who has contributed to the state of near grace in which I find myself.

I say “near grace” for I am not kidding myself into believing that I have lived a life of transcendental enlightenment. I am not so inclined. Rather I take what snippets of grace that come my way with a kind of innocent joy (like this morning at 3:30AM when our 3-year-old granddaughter climbed into bed with us). And I herein recognize that these moments of grace are often constructs of uncountable efforts of unnamed predecessors over innumerable eons. So exactly what are these constructions for which I am indebted?

- A country in which I fear not a barrage of rockets.

- A home that keeps out the rain and keeps in the warmth.

- A wife and family that allow me to contribute and return the favor.

- A society that provides for my needs and allows me some wants.

- Friends and neighbors who forgive me my quirkiness.

- Forefathers who constructed a form of government that often seems to work.

- The legions of defenders of our freedoms who have died or been maimed in the process.

- A medical system that has kept me alive long past my due.

- My remembered father, mother, sister, friends, mentors and educators.

- The joy of watching youth blossom into understanding.

- A leftover turkey sandwich with sage stuffing, cranberry sauce and mayonnaise.

Thank you.