Samhain Thanksgiving Moon
(Anco impari, Learning Still.) Goya’s small print with this title might be my third phase image.
Let me give you two very recent examples. In the first, granddaughter Ruth got a signal honor as one of ten students from her elementary school, named after Colorado astronaut, Jack Swigert, who got to meet the surviving Apollo 13 astronauts. The learning was this: Ruth wore a skirt. At 9 Ruth has her own fashion sense. It’s distinctive and one that includes neither skirts nor dresses.
Second, last night we took grandson Gabe to a Polar Express live event at the Colorado Railroad Museum. I had advocated this as grandchild time because Ruth, on a recent overnight up here, had watched the movie. But, Ruth’s astronaut event was the same night, so Gabe went without her.
He was not entranced with the Polar Express idea. He kept saying, “We don’t celebrate that.” That is, Christmas. He is a Hanukkah guy after all. Gabe had a book along, Goosebumps by R.L. Stine, and kept reading it during the evening. His diffidence and general orneriness irritated me. The whole night.
Later, out of the immediate context of the event, I had to admit to myself that I admired his willingness, in the way he could muster at 7, to stand up for his sub-culture, Judaism. We went to the event based on Ruth’s interest and I expected him to share it. Instead, he felt assaulted by things his family doesn’t emphasize. So, shame on me.
Then, this morning, as I worked up here, I heard clumping steps on the stairs. There was Gabe, smiling, rested and wanting to see Grandpop. Every day brings a new chance to relearn humility.
