Summertime is here at least meteorologically. Eighty-five degrees and the promise of more to come. It gets hot in Little Egypt.

Time rules our calendars. Seconds minutes hours and days make up our lives. It is difficult to wrap our minds around the concept of no more time. We begin as babies and if we are fortunate we end as old and bent people with dimming eyesight and mobility issues. As we arise each morning we first look at our clock. It governs our existence according to our understanding. The concept of our loved ones no longer existing is hard to fathom and that we will cease to exist is beyond our comprehension and history of our ambitious lives.

Einstein said time is a persistent illusion. We live in the box of our own observances. Life beyond our death is faith but not reality for our grey matter. So we work for a future that we are constantly reminded that we may not see. Often we feel empowered to do whatever we want and adopt the Alfred E. Newman adage ‘What Me Worry.’

What about the future. We have not been let in on The Secret. Roger Ebert the popular movie critic told his wife not long before he died that ‘It has been a big hoax,’ when he reportedly saw through the drawn curtain of life to see the other side.

Is deja vu a fluke of our brains or is it a realization that we have been there before? We look at our universe and see what astronomers tell us are images of planets and stars that have long since gone out of existence. So we view with our eyes through our powerful telescopes the past in our definition of time.

Our perception of reality is parochial. We understand the mystical mystery of life by pondering the environs of the fishbowl that we swim in. When I was a youngster if a person believed in UFO they were thought to either be a science fiction aficionado or a bit eskew. Today it is commonly believed that there is life ‘out there.’

War is a constant state of humanity’s desire to rule their brothers and sisters. We are a warlike people. We love fine art and literature and profess faith and love yet we support killing in the name of God. Are we an advanced species or still in the bassinet?

‘And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks, nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.’ Isaiah 2:4

So, God wants the lion to lay down with the lamb and yet he supports mass killing today in preparation for his Peaceable Kingdom?

Could it be that after death our guardian angel returns us to our earthly life and our family and admonishes us to enjoy the heaven that we have built…

‘You realize that Pounds Hollow will open on Memorial Day,’ Billy B asked the group of intrepid explorers? ‘The winter is over and past and the sound of the turtle dove is heard in our land,’ he added with scripture.

‘I have been waiting for May since Christmas,’ Chet said. ‘This year I am going to focus on my tan,’ he grinned. ‘I have been pale too long,’ said Chet.

‘Why don’t we go today there is no time like the present,’ Jane suggested. ‘We can climb through the hole in the fence and beat the spring crowd,’ she laughed.

‘May The Wiz and I accompany you,’ Daryl asked? ‘Dad has a new invention that he wants to try out on the water, he noted.

‘What is the invention and can we all take a turn at trying it, Neva J wondered aloud. ‘The Wiz has the most inventive inventions,’ she winked.

‘I will put the invention in the trunk of the 57′ Chevy convertible,’ said The Wiz. ‘Please do not drive too fast as the settings are sensitive,’ said The Wiz.

‘What do you call your invention and what does it do,’ Chet asked? ‘It looks like the ‘Wayback’ machine from the Mr. Peabody and Sherman cartoons,’ he continued.

‘Precisely my boy it is an exact replica of the ‘Wayback’ machine with one exception that it will only work underwater,’ The Wiz exulted. ‘Today we will lower it into Pounds Hollow and then climb in under the cool water and time travel,’ he informed.

‘I am a pedantic, patrician beagle and a Noble laureate,’ said Mr. Peabody. ‘Sherman and I have enjoyed many adventures in time and this will be our greatest crusade,’ he continued.

‘We travel to our former lives to see what events brought us to this place in time,’ The Wiz said. ‘Deja vu will have no mystery for us when we see who we were and why we are who we are,’ The Wiz said with some satisfaction.

‘Indeed the mysteries of the universe are great but I have never heard of such an adventure or if it is possible under the laws of quantum physics,’ Billy B said. ‘Are you saying that we have no beginning and no end,’ Billy B asked?

‘God in his infinite wisdom has not revealed the mystical mysteries of our existence and even with the ‘Wayback’ they are not revealed Aristotle…as you once were called,’ Mr. Peabody answered.

‘Welcome back Chet…or should I call you Solomon…your throne awaits and the builders have many questions regarding the Temple…’

There was a television show many years ago called The Defenders. The Defenders were lawyers and a bit above my interest as a youngster. I like the title of the show. Are we not all defenders at many points in our lives?

For many years I felt the need to defend my wonderful colleagues at Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale. I still feel that need but all the leaders I knew have shuffled off the scene. During my 32-year 2-month and 3-week career, I noticed the marginalization and disconnect that the University administration had regarding their civil service staff. A Chancellor told me on more than one occasion that civil service staff came last. I did not need to be told what I already knew.

Civil Service staff are the backbone of our campus. Without us, nothing would operate and the university would collapse. One of the biggest gaps in understanding is the talent in the civil service community that university leaders never avail themselves of. There is an inherent elitism in the academic community.

Defending is honorable. When someone is being diminished step into the gap and take their part. Silence is acquiescentce. Averting our eyes is subjective blindness to suffering.

So it goes with the pain that surrounds us. We Christians want to go to heaven. Now many of us believe that the blessed place will only contain those like us but what if the poor of the land surround us and tell us of their memories of us. Will we say that we were busy? Will we claim ignorance as to their plight on earth?

I am reading a book entitled Nuclear War. It is the most detailed account of what comprises nuclear war including the lead-up to it and its development as well as the aftermath. It is not a fiction story.

The book points out that an incoming nuclear warhead can not be detected for anti-missile assault until it rises over the horizon. Then the ‘Star Wars’ protection is not better than a bullet shooting another bullet. It usually fails.

I have wondered what was just over the horizon. Perhaps good is coming my way or evil. The limitations of being human are profound. Some suspected that over the horizon was the end of the earth. There you fell to oblivion.

Our telescopes are out and extended. Our sailor has climbed up to the crow’s nest. The navigator has plotted our course and the waters are choppy with ten-foot waves.

A lighthouse appears at the crest of the horizon. Everyone is seasick as the sailboat tosses and turns and rises up when the massive wave strikes it and then precipitously falls back to the ocean floor. Walking is unheard of and crawling is the order of the day.

A Seamonster appears before us. The Monster is hydra-headed and mad. His massive tail whacks the bow of the ship and sends it reeling in a pirouette. Now we can not see the lighthouse as we are dizzy from the Seamonster spinning our sailboat and the sky has turned dark as night. The monster is between our line of sight and the lighthouse. We struggle forward as the ocean behind us has fashioned itself as a black hole and is swallowing everything that it can draw into it. The ship’s captain waves at us as he is drawn into the black hole and cries for us to release the bombs.

The lighthouse is peaceful. It has the spirit of love and harmony the message of Christ.

Cicadias are chirping. Ants are building a new home… ‘I guess we showed them,’ the old man said from his home in the earth…

This has been one of those ‘Easy Like Sunday Morning’ Sundays. The weather is not too hot or cold, and the living is easy. Life seems to have a laconic pace that requires little effort. Jonathon and I put our new Dyson Vacuum together. It was easy which is highly unusual. Domino’s Pizza was on sale, and we said two for us.

I had an opportunity to see friends from my work days yesterday. They are getting younger and I am getting older. They greeted me with such enthusiasm and smiles that it brought a tear to my eye. I remember how I worried night and day that we could keep my little department viable to ward off the contracting of services. I felt that it was my mission to protect each one of my colleagues.

There is peace in not concerning myself regarding what people think of me. My friend Jo Ann told me that she always knew that I would never do anything that I did not believe in. I could be called The Contrarian. My life has often been on the outside of the circle looking in. This has transpired when I perceive that there is a fundamental difference in which fork in the road to take.

I am dismayed at leaders who seem to have misplaced their backbone. How do they live without a backbone?

We get just a few days on our earth. We tear down barns and build bigger ones. We take the Bible and fit the scriptures to support our parochial beliefs. As religion declines in our nation we lift up the god of politics and all that it can afford for our team.

The Slow Train affords time for introspection. Think about who you are and why you feel the way that you do. Uniqueness is not a flaw or a fault. The courage to stand for what you believe is a virtue.

Friday evening is calling. Or as the old song said, Working For The Weekend. My first job at Essex International afforded me some sad countenanced colleagues, especially on Monday mornings. Folks appeared ill. I was in my customary good humor as it was my first job and a daily challenge. But on Friday the veil lifted and the Sun showed through. So it goes with us at the Low Table. We work for our bread from morning to night and hope for some extra amusements for the kids. We want to be treated fairly and with a circumspect eye toward our common humanity.

President Lincoln told us at Gettysburg that, ‘these dead shall not have died in vain-that this nation under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’ We do not have a king in the United States. We elect one of our peers for a time to lead us and then he/she shall return to what the rest of us are doing…living in a democracy.

High Tables and Easy Living change our perspective. We love the sound of our own voice. The Little People annoy us. We decide that we will make God in our own image.

The reverence we had for our institutions. We Littles knew that some wise women and men were looking out for our best interests. Law was the great equalizer and justice was blind according to the statue of Lady Justice.

‘Mr. Justice and Madame Justice we are down here,’ Littles called out. ‘We can see you…can you see us,’ Littles continued in desperation?

‘Did any of you hear a squeak or a small whisper,’ Mr. Justice asked? ‘I thought I saw a flash before my eyes as I peered down at the floor but decided it must have been some ‘overdone stew or a bad potato,’ Mr. Justice continued.

‘I am a bit chilly and the cold air is coming in through the Court House Door that an intruder had left open,’ Madame Justice said with a shiver. ‘We must not leave the door open as the varmints will get in and then what shall we do,’ She continued…

MJ and I talked with our favorite Vet Dr. Brandy Doggett. She told us of her recent vacation and made us want to follow in her footsteps. Mylo enjoyed the conversation as well.

I thought as Dr. Doggett was talking and her animation in explaining her recent holiday that she made my day just by vicariously experiencing her joy.

I love to refer to the famous play Waiting For Godot. We seek him here we seek him there and yet he is with us and we do not realize it.

I saw my old friend Brent yesterday. I was employed by Brent in the vocation of carpet laying when I was 20 years old just before I was hired at SIUC. He was so nice to me. I had at that time never worked for a kinder boss. When we talked a bit yesterday I could only see Brent of 46 years ago. Brent exemplified how a good boss acts.

At times we desire others to comply with our restrictive mold of how we think they should be. Shame on us for putting people in a box. We are unique. We seek others who will see us for who we are and not their pigeonhole portrait of us.

Perhaps God will tap us on the shoulder. Maybe he will reveal himself to us in a burning bush. Could he be in the gold of our cathedrals? Does he have a special message for us that we are to share with the world?

We are a bit broken. We want the big event. Cymbals are in order as is the bass drum. Trumpets shall peel their resounding call to arms and the Heavenly Choir will join in with the old hymn Onward Christian Soldiers.

We seek the elusive imprimatur of God when he is standing next to us in line at the grocery store.

Look into the eyes of the person next to you and you will see God…

Never bemoan your age as it beats the alternative. Grandma A said that if you live to be 100 life is short. With age comes wisdom we hope. With age comes experiences some good and some instructive.

Age brings self-actualization. Your eyes fail but you can see more clearly. What we have been dithering with and playing trivial pursuit now we value and cherish.

‘Welcome to your beginning, He said. ‘You have made it through the door and now comes the fun part,’ He continued. ‘At the next station She will provide you with a Welcome Pack of all the necessary items you will need for the next stage of your journey,’ He smiled as He patted Baby on his back.

‘Burp,’ Baby uttered with a satisfied sigh. ‘Oh my goodness excuse me I do not know where my manners are,’ Baby apologized.

‘Not at all it is a common occurrence upon arrival at this stage of the journey,’ She said with a look of benevolence. ‘We have been waiting for you for some time and now your big day is here,’ She continued.

‘I noticed that you call me Baby no one has called me Baby since I was born and that was 90 years ago,’ Baby observed. I was a mover and a shaker as they say somewhere,’ Baby said with a look of accomplishment. ‘I commanded men and held high office I even have the title of President,’ Baby said with a wink.

‘As I mentioned this is your big day you have made it through the door you have friends here that are longing to see you,’ He said. ‘It is all in the Welcome Packet it takes some adjustment to become accustomed to the change but you will,’ He noted. ‘The contemplation of the never-ending vastness of God is intriguing, He said.

‘You keep saying that I have made it through the door, ‘Burp…Yawn,’ and what is the door,’ Baby asked?

‘All that you have done was done in the foyer you were not yet in the House and now you are inside…it is all in the Manual,’ She said with steady joy.

The wind is blowing a cool breeze. We have had a lot of wind lately. With wind comes change. I wrote of The Wizard Of Oz the other day and you will remember the tornado that carried Dorothy to the Land Of Oz. They were ‘not in Kansas anymore.’

Change surrounds us in our little corner of the world. Restaurants and businesses seem to close regularly. Our mall is a ghost town as retail struggles to operate a brick-and-mortar store in our online economy. Churches are shrinking. Politics/religion has replaced traditional faith venues. Power and money are lauded as supreme accomplishments while the poor beg for bread.

Change is a bit like the Kansas Tornado that Dorothy and Toto experienced. It is difficult to keep your balance. So what do we do? Do we hide our heads in the sand in the Ostrich fashion? Or shall we work to make our society better?

Lonely people are all around us. Make a friend. Bring them to Church as a social event. They might like it. Do not talk about it but rather illustrate Christ’s gospel.

Don’t focus on your friend’s favorite political candidate but rather on what politics was designed to do by our founding fathers. There is a separation of church and state for a reason. Politics does not belong in the church and religion has no place in politics.

Support small businesses. They are the backbone of your community.

Age is change. The pitfall of we Golden Years folks is the inability to adjust to our new reality.

I spend almost every day in the woods. My appreciation for our Earth grows exponentially. An observation from my years of empirical study has illustrated that humans are the species that are out of sync with our home. Our artificial life in the name of progress and money has given us a skewed opinion of what is important.

The joy of living is dependent on our home. Without Earth, we are lost and undone.

My carefree summers were spent at Pounds Hollow Lake. It was there that my love of nature first appeared. I learned that nature did not judge or condemn but was a loving presence.

MJ and I took two Alaskan Cruises and marveled at the Calving of the Glaciers and what that meant for our future. Soon the Glaciers will be gone.

We come from the Earth and to it we will return.

Earth Day is not just for young people. All of us have a manifest stake in our little blue orb.

Earth is our Diamond. We should polish it and cherish it. We will never get another…