The temperature is rising. The grills are cooking. Short sleeves are in vogue. School is out. Kids are fishing and swimming with classrooms a dim memory. Memorial Day has passed, and July 4th is just over a month away. Does anyone remember New Year’s Day? So it goes with the chapters of our year and our lives.

The Old Man walks in his woods. It looks different to him each day. Deer peek out from their grazing. A good-natured man changes his flat tire. He had a massive red toolbox. He told the Old Man that he was not yet ready to drive a computer. It has been a long time since the Old Man changed a tire.

We look to chaos to solve logical problems. Disruption will make our paths straight. Confusion is the new wisdom. Hurting those who are unlike us is the answer to the Christian riddle. God is creating strong men who love only themselves. The immigrant and the refugee are a nuisance and a bother. They must be the answer to our problems. It could not be our own selfishness and narcissism. A few people control most of the wealth. It is a great capitalist miracle. The next ultra-rich person could be you. How is that working out for you?

‘Sit with me for a while by the creek in the woods,’ Chet said. ‘The sound of the rushing water soothes my spirit,’ Chet continued. ‘There is a rhythm to the world,’ Chet explained. ‘God created us all and loves us all,’ Chet mused. ‘The peace of nature and natural order of its movements is proof of his love for his creation,’ Chet postulated. ‘We humans are in a constant fight with each other,’ Chet offered. ‘We play a zero-sum game of I win and you lose,’ Chet said. ‘Instead of survival of the fittest, why can it not be we are all in the same boat in a stormy sea and we owe each other a terrible loyalty,’ Chet asked. ‘Thought is important and reflection on life is paramount to our understanding of our role in it,’ Chet whispered.

‘I am weary of the fighting and pain,’ Neva J said. ‘We leave one room of suffering only to go into another of our own making,’ Neva J offered. ‘A glass of Merlot and some grilled hamburgers and hot dogs… except for Chet, who likes his raw…is the order of a summer day,’ Neva J smiled. ‘The deer and squirrels are watching us as our children and grandchildren,’ Neva J explained. ‘Soon and very soon we will be done in this life, and what will we have to show for it?’ Neva J mused. ‘Will it be said that we divided brother against brother and mother against son…or shall we be remembered as bringing people together on our path?’ Neva J wondered.

The peel of the siren was unmistakably present, and the meat on the summer grills burned from neglect. Pounds Hollow was full of end-of-May swimmers, and inner tubes were everywhere. Cyclist gingerly rode their bicycles in the Woods. Happy joggers relished the burn and euphoria of running. Wrigley Field was packed, and the Cubs were having a wonderful season. The crack of the bat signaled a home run. The fish were biting, and the lures were working better than expected. Nothing could spoil such a summer’s day.

‘Are these the codes?’ the Executive asked as he opened the satchel. ‘Now we will prove who the winners are,’ the Executive said…