Post 44/2020 Thursday 31 December 2020 . . . The idiom, "Out with the old, in with the new," gets bandied about at the start of a new year. Leave old things, old ideas, old habits behind; start fresh. It sounds assertive, chirpy, a good thing to do. It also strikes me as choppy, sloganeering, …
Author: John Bender
Hi, my name is John Bender, retired and loving it. I'm writing to help interested people cross bridges to and from the past. Stories from the past can shed light on life in the present and illuminate the future. We've got a lot of living to do. Let's do it!
Stay-Go-Be-Do #11
Post 43/2020 Saturday 26 December . . . It's Boxing Day today. For us the day includes putting gift boxes in storage for use another time. Our gifts to each other included mostly warm clothing. I look forward to testing our new winter apparel on upcoming walks. We'll keep an eye on the weather to …
Stay-Go-Be-Do #10
Post 42 Tuesday 22 December . . . (Christmas Extra) Lights do it. On Monday evening the word was "Go." Amid occasional rain and finger-numbing cold we walked the trails of Wellfield Botanic Gardens Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights in Elkhart. Wonderful! We wore coats that shed the sprinkles and minimized the shivers, though our hands …
Stay-Go-Be-Do #9
Post 41/2020 Saturday 19 December . . . I've been thinking about garages, of all things. About the place where one parks a vehicle, bicycle, lawnmower, tools. The building that evolved from a stable, from indeed the once stately carriage or coach house for horses and carriages of old. Then came the automobile and soon …
Stay-Go-Be-Do #8
Post 40/2020 Saturday 12 December . . . O Holy Night, a French Christmas carol (1847), resounds through the ages: "A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, / For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn." What? Where? Really? In 2020? Hope alive for a weary world right now? It's a message Christians take …
Stay-Go-Be-Do #7
Post 39/Saturday 5 December . . . A fresh-cut Fraser fir graces our home. According to the tag, "Christmas trees bring new life to our environment. During its growing years this tree has cleaned the air, provided oxygen, secured the soil against erosion, made a home for wildlife and beautified the land. For every tree …
Stay-Go-Be-Do #6
Post 38/2020 Saturday 28 November . . . Tired of photos of leaves, trees, fields and forests? Ha, ha. I've another batch to make you yawn. Ha, ha. Or wake you up. Ha, ha. A relative often ended his sentences with, "Ha, ha, by golly!" Oh, Clayton, I remember your gregarious and infectious mannerisms well. …
Stay-Go-Be-Do #5
Post 37/2020 Sunday 22 November My cup is full and running over today. We joined worship with The United Benefice of Carbis Bay and Lelant (Cornwall, United Kingdom) via Zoom (6am here, 11am there). It was Christ the King Sunday, reflecting on God's intent to bind up the injured and strengthen the poor. To the …
Stay-Go-Be-Do #4
Post 36/2020 Thursday 12 November (Featured image: These brilliantly colored leaves were on display 10 days ago.) As of today, most trees have shucked their coats, leaving a ground cover to swish through on paths in the woods. Fallen leaves also present a rakish challenge to people who want a pristine lawn. I've been there. …
Stay-Go-Be-Do #3
Post 35/2020 Sunday 1 November What makes me laugh on Zoom is to have the moderator tell someone, "Unmute yourself." I've had some good laughs with participants, without belittling anyone, who miscues on this electronic form of communication. I grimace, though, at those in the public sphere I'd love to see muted. Be that as …
It's About Now 