In case you haven't noticed the only consistent theme of this blog is cynicism. Which, we assume, is why 30 or so of you visit us daily - much more regularly than you call your mothers.Well, okay, and sarcasm. You come for the cynicism and stay for the sarcasm. But today we're focusing on cynicism, people - concentrate!
So it is established that we are sarcastic cynics, but, and maybe I'm only speaking for myself, we are also optimists - albeit extremely cautious optimists.
"If it seems too good to be true, it probably is."
"Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst."
"Never pet a burning dog." (My stepdad's favorite words of caution).
As a natural-born cynic I've always cast a doubtful eye toward the whole postmortem – posthumous - situation. An afterlife. Right. Pearly gates, angels, the whole schtick.
If it seems too good to be true….
Where's the logic, the rationale, the reason? Really. It sounds great, but have you also heard about this awesome bridge in Brooklyn that's for sale? At least the bridge you can see.
Admittedly, the doubts were diminished a bit when Stepdad (ibid) died.
Shortly after he "passed" my mother's house was filled to overwhelming with the scent of roses, carnations, lilies…like a big ol' twenty-dollar bouquet from the grocery store. The aroma lingered for a quite a while. Many people witnessed it. Nobody could explain it, but before his death she’d asked him to send her a sign if he found anything 'on the other side.' Hmm.
So yesterday, after Tim Russert's memorial service, as the assembled mourners processed from the building, and as the ukulele version of "Somewhere over the Rainbow" played on the sound system, an enormous rainbow appeared over Washington DC.
No rain in the forecast yesterday. Clear, blue skies. A cloud moved in, it rained for a few brief minutes, the sun came out and on cue as the country watched everyone exit the auditorium...a rainbow appeared. Not a faint, little blink-and-you'll-miss-it rainbow. A double rainbow that arched across the entire city.
So 'splain that, Lucy. I'm the first person to say, "People see signs where they want to see signs" but damn. That kind of thing will give you pause.
Keith Olbermann said, "It may be easily explained by meteorological conditions…But if there's any way that a soul was behind that, I know that was Russert. I'd recognize him anywhere."
As a result of this – you can’t deny it – oddity maybe everyone who witnessed the series of events unfold on live television are an ounce less cynical today.
All those people. All those people in Washington. Imagine if everyone in Washington DC was an ounce less cynical today than they were yesterday.
It’d make for a hell of a lot less interesting election season, that’s for sure.
Post Post: All the posts about death and dying, I promise, will stop soon... Just as soon as people quit dropping dead on me.
Post Post Post: Our condolences to hswilkinson, frequent commenter, on the loss of her grandfather last week.
Comments
And thanks. :)