Simple Beauties
I must admit that trumpets don't go off in my head every single time I attend the Sunday services. There are masses that have even particularly annoyed me through the years. I hate the sermon where the priest discusses the church finances, and I know he's doing it in the interest of full disclosure, but I frankly don't care what it costs to heat the church.
I had a few cocktails and some laughs with a few good friends last night, but church was on the agenda, and I headed off alone. I find that if I hit a different mass than my wife and kids I can usually concentrate a little more, and yes, even enjoy the community of the event.
There weren't any trumpets playing today as the priest spoke of the Boy Scouts of all things. I glanced around - there were scouts everywhere, cub scouts, bear scouts, weeblos, and even a couple of eagle scouts. The guy sitting right next to me was in full uniform too, and he was a big man - let's just say that John Goodman could play him in the movie - anyway, I felt annoyed.
First off, I sucked at the scout game. I couldn't tie a knot for a lot of years and even now the only one I know does up my shoes. I hated the ceremony of it, the little ribbons handed out - everything about it - actually.
But there I was stuck between John Goodman and a couple of senior citizens. A funny thing happened.
During the mass the priest began speaking about the scouts. The big man next to me was whispering to his son about the meaning of the priest's words, and how it tied into what they were doing as scouts. The man was thoughtful, intelligent, and respectful. The kid was nodding along with his Dad, and I found that I was too.
Then the offertory song began and the old couple beside me began to sing. Their voices were perfectly harmonized. She sang high, and he sang a little lower. They didn't miss a word, their tune and tone just absolutely perfect. I didn't have to strain to hear them either as they were belting it out in a melodic symphony.
When the song finished I did something that totally surprised me.
"I really enjoyed hearing you sing," I said to the woman.
She beamed and thanked me. She even turned it up a little during her next number.
And I heard the trumpets in my head. For the first time all day they chased the remnants of the few beers I drank to the opposite corner of my mind.
And I thought of the simple beauty of life. Sometimes you just never really see it coming.
I had a few cocktails and some laughs with a few good friends last night, but church was on the agenda, and I headed off alone. I find that if I hit a different mass than my wife and kids I can usually concentrate a little more, and yes, even enjoy the community of the event.
There weren't any trumpets playing today as the priest spoke of the Boy Scouts of all things. I glanced around - there were scouts everywhere, cub scouts, bear scouts, weeblos, and even a couple of eagle scouts. The guy sitting right next to me was in full uniform too, and he was a big man - let's just say that John Goodman could play him in the movie - anyway, I felt annoyed.
First off, I sucked at the scout game. I couldn't tie a knot for a lot of years and even now the only one I know does up my shoes. I hated the ceremony of it, the little ribbons handed out - everything about it - actually.
But there I was stuck between John Goodman and a couple of senior citizens. A funny thing happened.
During the mass the priest began speaking about the scouts. The big man next to me was whispering to his son about the meaning of the priest's words, and how it tied into what they were doing as scouts. The man was thoughtful, intelligent, and respectful. The kid was nodding along with his Dad, and I found that I was too.
Then the offertory song began and the old couple beside me began to sing. Their voices were perfectly harmonized. She sang high, and he sang a little lower. They didn't miss a word, their tune and tone just absolutely perfect. I didn't have to strain to hear them either as they were belting it out in a melodic symphony.
When the song finished I did something that totally surprised me.
"I really enjoyed hearing you sing," I said to the woman.
She beamed and thanked me. She even turned it up a little during her next number.
And I heard the trumpets in my head. For the first time all day they chased the remnants of the few beers I drank to the opposite corner of my mind.
And I thought of the simple beauty of life. Sometimes you just never really see it coming.
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