I want to take a couple of moments before we go on with the service and share with you some current thoughts of mine, after so many years of so many thoughts on the subject of marriage which received a lot of press in most parts of the country this last week. As most of you know, this ruling on DOMA affects Michael and me at a very deep and personal level.

To Millie: Good-bye my friend

I know I’ll never see you again.

Our time together through all the years

Will take away my tears.

Good-bye my friend.

Last Friday after buying bird seed at SBS I went to my car and it wouldn’t start. Assuming the battery was dead, I returned inside and asked if I could use the phone to call AAA. Katrina Nevin, who works at SBS, asked what the problem was and offered her jumper cables to charge the battery.

At a wedding that I recently attended, the deejay explained to me that from his position behind the speakers it was hard for him to judge how loud the music was in front of the speakers. It is also distinctly possible that hearing impairment is an occupational hazard. Would it not be sensible for every deejay and every live band to have a decibel meter app on their smartphone?

The situation in Syria is indeed very troubling. I can understand why President Obama first hesitated to send even light weapons to aid the rebels against the Assad government’s cruel treatment of its own people. I am distressed that the president has changed his mind in this matter but perhaps it is not too late to apply one remedy that I have in mind.