politics

Like a Bridge

/ howardshapiro / 11 Comments

I do a lot of walking (the more impressive term is “hiking”) here in NC. When I am with people, we talk. We talk about the trails; we talk about the things we are seeing; we talk about our destination; we talk about other people (don’t judge); politics; health; movies; music; what’s streaming; religion; how much longer; you name it. But when I walk alone I put in my earbuds and either an audio book accompanies me or a podcast or music I have downloaded from somewhere.

Today I am listening to a podcast recommended by a friend who shares my love for Leonard Cohen and who is taking a chance that I like Paul Simon. (I do.) Malcolm Gladwell is interviewing Paul Simon on his career, his music, his creative genius, his work ethic, his origin story, his “mentors”. It is called, “Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon.” It is riveting. (I found it on Audible.) It is a good thing that I am pretty much alone on these wooded paths, because I am listening, walking, singing. Like in the shower – no one around – no inhibitions.

I learned so much about the songs, about the arc of Simon’s career, about his creative process, music of his youth, musicians he collaborated with, and musical traditions he traveled the world to learn from. Way back when I was still living in Springfield, New Jersey, I was so captivated by Sounds of Silence that I used it as a basis for a sermon. There is poetry in the lyrics: “Hello darkness my old friend. I’ve come to talk with you again because a vision softly creeping …” I have the sermon in a cardboard box filled with blue 5X7 cards with my words typed in black ribboned ink on a baby blue Smith Corona electric. I can’t replicate my original message right now, but in this fractured America we are living through I hear the words of prophet written on the subway walls … people talking without speaking, people hearing without listening…

And I wonder at the sanity of it all. As I listened to the podcast I was sure that I was going to use the words of a different classic of Simon and Garfunkel to jump off from for this blog. “When you’re weary feeling small … ” But words often take you to places you do not recognize and unless you are disciplined you can wind up in a different key. But one thing is clear to me. We need a bridge in this country we call home; we need to find ways we can talk with each other and move forward together. This stalemate in government and this privilege of sitting inside the Washington beltway and ignoring the issues of gun control and women’s rights, a planet that keeps heating and the rising prices of silence – in the words of the prophet – like a cancer grows.

In Florida there is a primary coming up. I’m waiting for my ballot to be forwarded so I can vote for candidates who know how to build bridges.

The Grass Needs Cutting

/ howardshapiro / 24 Comments

This is a story I am not sure I should tell. I have such mixed emotions about it. But it happened and is true and is probably a sense of our country right now and it happened to me this week.

We have a vacation home in Western North Carolina. Along with its beauty and respite comes responsibility and burden. (Burden is probably too heavy a word, but I liked the symmetry of the words.) Background information: Our place is basically in the woods: lots of trees and underbrush and mountain laurel and wild rhododendrons. Not a lot of grass or flower beds or garden but enough that we need someone to care for it especially when we aren’t here. The gardener stopped coming – no formal “quitting” – just doesn’t show up anymore and phone calls do not change the outcome.

We need a new landscape company. This is the story of the search. The Landscaper who came was on time and on the right day and I was immediately impressed. More came after I opened the door to go out and talk with him when he greeted me with “Baruch HaShem” (Blessed be God’s Name) in Hebrew. I figured it was the mezuzah on the doorpost. I said: “You’re kidding me.” To which he responded, “Shalom and ‘Elohim’”. I let that sit and started to talk about bushes and weeds. He asked me if I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I then figured it out and said: “Absolutely not! And we should probably agree to continue with how often does the grass need cutting.” (He belongs to a Messianic Congregation.)

A week later he was back to present me with the details of his proposal. I asked him if he would please put on his mask since we were outside, but kind of getting too close together. He echoed my words from the week before: “Absolutely not. I don’t believe in them. I believe the virus is real, but the media is exaggerating how contagious it is.” I was stunned into silence. Finally, I said – “You need to give me a moment.” My mind went racing. Do I impose my beliefs on him? Is the fact that he has a different (false and dangerous) view of reality my issue? Can’t I just let him cut the ***** grass and call it a day?  I don’t know how long it took me to say the words: “I’m sorry this is a deal breaker and we can’t work together.”

As he left, I noticed the two big Trump bumper stickers on his car. To this moment, I don’t know if I was right. I know the incident plays like a serial in my mind. I know that it is symptomatic of how polarized we are. I know that we need to make this better. I know as a country and community of Americans we need to begin the process of healing. Vote!