that’s Mr. Bernstein, to you.

Harry left us this past Friday at the age of one hundred-and-one years of age (Harry, not the rest of us, yet). that’s hard to do, as are writing books, and good books, at that.

I never met Harry. and, I don’t why. but, I’ve read his books. The Invisible Wall, and possibly The Dream. you may argue for his, The Golden Willow, as would likely Harry himself (it was a focus on Ruby, his wife of seventy years) will likely be the most notable. he wrote several dozen others. however, he destroyed the majority of his work when they failed to be published. I suspect that after you can’t put down What Happened to Rose you will find yourself comparing Harry to the likes of Frank McCourt and his own Angela’s Ashes, D.H. Lawrence and even Isaac Singer. you’ll need to investigate those. do it!

The Invisible Wall was a love story, of sorts. in some respects his books were about religion as viewed through life, as a lens.

from his Wikipedia profile:

“You’ve got to be taught to hate. You’ve got to be taught from the time you’re six or seven or eight. It’s put in your mind. It’s handed down, almost like an heirloom, among Christians. They didn’t know why they hated us.”

all that said, as I was pondering Harry, and what he will eventually mean to us all, I came across the following quote from him that dated back to his ninety-seventh year:

“When you get into your 90s like I am, there’s nowhere else to think except the past. There’s no future to think about. There’s very little present,” Bernstein told the AP in 2007, when “The Invisible Wall” was published.

I’ll keep this post short. rather like a nod towards Harry, if you will. his life was long although his notoriety was not. yet, he has offered us all something of a legacy with vital lessons around tolerance, love and perspective. that will certainly endure.

so all that has Harry finishing well with us all reminded we can always contribute, and always.

peace be to my Brothers and Sisters.

brian patrick cork

Aaron Masih, that rascal, sent over a link to this article penned (since that does not really happen, much, any more, he likely tapped a keyboard) by that redoubtable Englishman and journalist John Naughton: Forget Google – it’s apple that is turning into the evil empire.

this makes me think of; and, I’ll, thusly, ask you: do you remember Monty Python’s Ministry of Silly Walks?

in any event, my first thoughts after a quick read of the article might include:

I don’t pretend to be a Christian.

many people do, though.

but, prayer is for everyone regardless of how or what people define faith – theirs, or otherwise. it focuses the mind and aligns it with heart and spirit.

I tend to pray most when I want something, or think I need something. I used the word “something” twice in one sentence because the concept of the what ever it is renders itself huge.

just like God.

lately I’ve been praying (or, mumbling) quite a bit because of what’s been happening to my Shockers. I’m going to lose a bunch of them and a dream long worked hard for. it feels like treachery and satan and all that stuff. I face a genuine Kobayashi Maru. however, I know darn well that change can be a good thing. it really comes down to what you make of it. character seems to be part of the definition.

so… I’m pondering the whole prayer thing. my question is now this: do I, or that collective we, pray for the things we think we want or need? Or, does He have us pray to align our minds, heart, spirit and actions with what He wants or needs from us?

my eyes are welling up as I tap these words gently into a keyboard. I’m so incredibly blessed, lucky and fortunate . my family is happy and healthy (other than some challenges with school and grades). business is great. and, I feel pretty good as my training continues. so, that list of positive adjectives could run on for some time. but, suffice it to say that the ball has bounced in my favor many times – and, possibly because I always try to do the right thing.

this post is already being populated by words that I had not planned in advance. so, maybe God is carefully at work, because, as I create this message, I’m thinking my prayer(s) need to be that God have me do the right thing(s), soften my heart, and simply steer me where I am actually needed and wanted. I’ll raise my hand.

I just need a path and an opportunity to be a beacon to light that of others.

Peace be to my Brothers and Sisters.

Brian Patrick Cork

I don’t know, yet (anyway), if my recent post: prayer and change (everyone is talking about. I’m flattered, just skeptical unsure as to why) upset or inspired Butch (“RW”) Nicholson. But, it certainly initiated, or possibly provoked the following point and question:

“Many people pretend to be Christains? Really? People believe what they believe, including you. I am interested in what you have to say. I am not interested in what you think others pretend to be. I would submit we all pretend most of the time. What do you pretend?”

I’m now pondering precisely why, but the question made me recall another of my posts: drink heartily from the cornucopia of fear.

This is an exercise in assigning words that might read pretty to a feeling that is ugly. To recognize what we don’t like, so that it can be replaced with what we want or dare hope for.

And, also, the widely read and certainly debated: Christian Ambiguity.

There is nothing worse than a Christian on the defensive. They become less tolerant and more judgmental when they get insecure.

And, somehow, from the dark reaches of my own mind, there emerged a response to Butch’s query:

“well… there is always the implied contention that the demonstrable inadequacy of any argument from analogy for the existence of other minds is sufficient to reject introspection as a method of determining one’s own mental state(s). there is always the position in the repudiation of an argument from analogy, but disagrees with knowledge of one’s own mental state(s) does not require introspection

so… relative to my blog post, I simply don’t pretend to have an answer like – for example – people with fish (symbols) on their cars. I only believe (in the context of this rapartee)  that prayer can help anyone answer most questions as it aligns mind, body and spirit with most circumstances.”

I strive, and daily, to live the authentic life. I may fear hypocrisy, but I pretend little (other than, perhaps the pretense of no fear, itself).

This is a line-of-thinking that may have no end. But, you can’t lose for the attempt and effort – although there may well be no clear win. That is, until you fade to black, or see the light, in a manner of speaking.

Peace be to my Brothers and Sisters.

Brian Patrick Cork