Commentary
What follows is the recipe for Holly Eger’s I Love You Chocolate Sour Cream Fudge Cake.
Message To A Widow
In a small, protected inlet of the evening pond,
loud white in a strong shaft of final, flaming sun,
one swan lies on quiet water,
(not the two of daily habit),
head buried into breast,
asleep on the movement of a gentle swell.
It is as though this radiant path of sun
were heaven sent
specifically,
to sanctify,
Christmas 2008
The early onset of darkness in November is a dramatic change. I recall a parishioner from an earlier parish who suffered from depression every year during this darker time. Winter darkness has measurable effect on the way we live: whether it is (for some) a depressed feeling; taking fewer walks and jogs when you get home from work, or having to find a big flashlight to go and get the mail.
In last week’s newspaper, Vineyarders were confronted by a story of an incident involving a Martha’s Vineyard public school educator allegedly acting inappropriately, and as a result, I feel compelled to address this type of situation with the entire Island community. Let me say first that in our legal system, everyone is innocent until proven guilty; therefore, nothing I say here should be construed to indicate that I believe last week’s story details guilt on anyone’s part.
This is the time of year I miss going to church . Christmas and church always seem to go together. I was a lapsed Methodist when I retired to the Vineyard. Up until then I had had what I thought were good reasons not to go to church. I worked many Sundays and spent lots of weekends away from home. Church was low on my list of priorities. Besides, when I was young I went, you could say, religiously. I sang in the choir and taught Sunday school right through college. Then I got a life. A busy one. There wasn’t room for a lot of things.