How Do We Respond when Questioned by Life?

A flooded road is seen during the passage of Hurricane Fiona

in Villa Blanca, Puerto Rico, on Sunday.

 Photo: Jose Rodriguez/AFP via Getty Images

Ukrainian soldiers collect unexploded shells after fighting with

Russian raiding group in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

Photo: Sergei Supinsky/AFP/ Getty Images

Life is pressing us at every turn, it seems. We have natural disasters with hurricanes from Alaska to Puerto Rico, a distressing war in Ukraine, and the troubling rise of fascism in the U.S.

The natural disaster that is Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico recently showed us once again the devastation that is often visited upon the human community. Now Ian is bearing down on Florida. Many still remember the tragedy that New Orleans faced in the wake of Hurricane Katrina back in 2005.

The following is an article I wrote which appeared as a guest editorial in The Birmingham News in 2005. I posted a version of this essay after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 and I re-visit it here as a reminder of one way we find hope when tragedy strikes. Frankl's book helped to reorient my thinking years ago. His words carried weight since they were born out of his internment in a Nazi concentration camp during WWII.

Finding Hope After Katrina

by Charles Kinnaird

What was really needed was a fundamental change in our attitude toward life. We had to learn… that it did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us.

                                                   ~ Viktor Frankl in Man’s Search for Meaning

Christianity has a problem that arises from three basic precepts:
                        1. God is all-powerful and all-knowing;
                        2. God is loving and good; and
                        3. Evil is real.

This is a recipe for dissonance. In two thousand years, these theological concepts have never been reconciled nor have they been abandoned. I am in no position to try to debunk any of these three notions, but I am in a position to feel the ache and the loss for words in response to that perennial question, “How could a loving God allow such devastation and loss of innocent life?”

Hurricane Katrina is the latest tragic event that causes many to ask, is there really a God out there, or is this just a barren, meaningless universe? It has even prompted some to claim that God is punishing sinners. Preachers and theologians have always felt the tension of trying to communicate faith and hope to people in light of intellectual honesty and trying times. Harold Kushner’s popular book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People, managed to affirm that God is a loving God and that evil is certainly real while rejecting the idea that God is really all-powerful. Some religions and sects will question whether evil is real, or just an illusion in order to explain the presence of suffering and evil. Many preachers like to remind us of the fact that someone brought sin into the world, and don’t forget that old chestnut of free will. Theology likes to create nice tidy boxes to put things in, but the problem is that life is not nice and tidy.

It would be a cruel understatement to say that Katrina was an untidy incident. I’ll be honest, for days I tried to avoid the emotional impact. I tried to keep some distance as I viewed the news reports. Then the reality began to hit, and along with it, the tears that one tries to fight back, the deep sighs, the heaviness that weighs upon the chest and the brow. There came inevitable shock and the sorrow of so much devastation. I returned to a book that I had found very helpful when I first read it many years ago. Viktor Frankl’s book, Man’s Search for Meaning came out of his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. His was the only voice I could think of that might be appropriate to listen to in the wake of our current storm. The core of that book for me was a passage close to the middle of the work which is quoted above. Frankl goes on to say, “We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead start thinking of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly.”

If we are being questioned by life, what is our response? Here are some things I heard in the week following the storm:

• I heard anger that response was so slow.
• I heard outrage that the poor, the handicapped and the needy were being overlooked and neglected.
• I saw bitter tears over the loss of life and the suffering of children.
• I saw responses from some individuals who were determined to do whatever they could to help.
• I heard scorn heaped upon the comfortable wealthy bureaucrats in Washington who seemed literally unmoved by the massive suffering.

When I read the words of Jesus and the Hebrew prophets, God is described by these very same responses.

I cannot put this into a tidy box that will resolve all questions and ease the tensions of living, but I can say that in the midst of the chaos and horror that followed Katrina, I saw and heard God in our midst. I saw God in your face and heard God in your voice when the sorrow and outrage was expressed. As real people began to move to care for the evacuees by offering help, refuge, and hope, I took heart. There were people showing great care for life, even lending aid to pets that were displaced. I saw how we respond when we are questioned by life, and that response gives me hope in the midst of tragedy.

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Monday Music: They're Changing Guard at Buckingham Palace

They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
We looked for the King, but he never came.
"Well, God take care of him, all the same,"
                                     Says Alice.

I read the poem, “Buckingham Palace,” when I was a child. It was in a collection by A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young. We had that book along with all of the Winnie the Pooh volumes. The poem was published in 1924. Child actress Ann Stephens was the first to record the song (music written by Harold Fraser-Simson) in 1941.

Petula Clark recorded a lovely version of the song in 1953. The words of the song were changed since there was by then a queen on the throne rather than a king. Max Bygraves recorded the song in 1959. His version became well known to American children with its frequent airing on the children’s TV show, Captain Kangaroo.

I wanted to bring all three versions today, beginning with the original recording since, along with the changing of the guard, there is once again a king on the British throne (may God take care of him, all the same).

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Roshklahoma! (Rosh HaShanah, the Musical)

My thanks to Rabbi Jonathan Miller for sharing this. He said, "I don't know which synagogue this is from, but it will bring a smile, promise."

 

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Saturday Haiku: As Blossoms Fade

 

soft pink hues arise
among hydrangea blossoms
as the petals fall

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Photo by Charles Kinnaird

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Autumn Equinox

Autumn Equinox

On this equinox, time is slant –

on its way, as it were,

not settled like solstice.

Butterflies still grace the zinnias,

hummingbirds continue their sorties

never more certain

than on this day.

 

But this day is passing,

tipping and slant

as if summer might slide off the plate.

The sun shines, sharp and clear

as a Hopper painting.

A lawnmower whirs and chomps

in a distant neighbor’s yard.

The mockingbird makes

his declaration,

but this day is passing,

passing like the newly fallen leaf.

 

A momentary pause

as the season turns from

summer bright

to autumn blaze

before the world settles

to the depth of winter solstice.

 

The world can sing

on the slant of an equinox.

 

                          ~ Charles Kinnaird

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Photos by Charles Kinnaird

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Monday Music: Everybody's Talkin' (Ramsey Lewis)

We lost jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis last week. From CNN article. "Ramsey Lewis, jazz pianist who revitalized genre, dies at 87":

Depending on which music pundit you ask, jazz “died” when its 1920s heyday ended. Others believe jazz music lost its luster when the 1960s – and rock music – rolled around. But Ramsey Lewis, an inventive jazz pianist and one of the nation’s most respected artists in the genre, continued to find novel ways to keep the genre alive and evolving and, crucially, grow new generations of jazz listeners.

Lewis spent nearly 60 years recording and performing original jazz music, striking gold in 1965 with the crossover hit “The ‘In’ Crowd.” He won three Grammys, scored seven gold records and in 2007 was named a National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Master, the highest honor bestowed upon jazz musicians in the US.

Here is a sampling of his talent in Everybody’s Talkin’.

 

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Saturday Haiku: Birdwatching

 for every seed
sparrows take at the feeder
three fall to the ground

content to forage
a towhee finds on the ground
what sparrows have dropped

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Photos by Charles Kinnaird

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Friday Funnies: Lost Shaker of Salt

I've been there too, Jimmy!

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Cartoon by Scott Hilburn at The Argyle Sweater

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Monday Music: Prayer in Passing (Anoushka Shankar)

 

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A Morning Meditation

  

Back Porch Meditation

 

A young towhee,

quire proficient in her

searching for food and

in her morning calls,

is still hidden in a sparrow-grey

cloak. Her true colors

will come later.

Her life is already complete.

 

                           ~ Charles Kinnaird

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Saturday Haiku: Rainwater

 

rainwater gathered
in a flower pot saucer
becomes a birdbath

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Photo by Charles Kinnaird

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The Queen's Drop Scone Pancakes

The news of Queen Elizabeth's passing hit all the news service wires and had broad television coverage yesterday. I never met the queen and cannot claim any quaint stories of royal encounters like the ones many are telling, but I did try her pancake recipe, just last year. It's the recipe the young Queen Elizabeth shared with President Eisenhower when she visited the U.S. 

Here is my post from August 25, 2021. they are lovely pancakes, indeed. One word of caution, however. When the recipe says "Serves 16" it means you'll get 16 small pancakes.

I found out about these pancakes by chance when I was watching one of those antique shows on television. Someone was showing a wooden lap desk and mentioned that inside the desk was the pancake recipe that Queen Elizabeth sent to President Eisenhower. It piqued my interest. I thought, surely, I could find that recipe online, and I did. You’ll find it here at Hello! Magazine, but I will also share the recipe below and tell you about my experience preparing it. I had to look up and translate some of the British terms such as “castor sugar” and “teacup.”

 

The Queen's drop scone recipe

Serves 16

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for the Queen's drop scones

• 4 teacups flour (a teacup, is about ¾ cup measure, or 190 mL – I had to look that up)
• 4 tablespoons caster sugar (i.e., confectioner’s sugar)
• 2 teacups milk (or 1½ cups)
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda (i.e. baking soda)
• 3 teaspoons cream of tartar (you may substitute with 4½ t. baking powder – 1½ t. for each t. of cream of tartar – I looked that up, too)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter (I used a plant-based butter substitute)

INSTRUCTIONS

How to make the Queen's drop scones

Step 1

Beat the eggs, sugar and about half the milk together.

Step 2

Add the flour and mix well together, adding the remainder of milk as required.

Step 3

Add the bicarbonate and cream of tartar, then fold in the melted butter.

Step 4

Heat a frying or griddle pan with some melted butter in. Pour in two or three large spoonfuls of the batter (make sure they don't touch each other) – these will be your drop scones or 'Scotch pancakes'.

(I used a ¼ cup measure to pour the batter for each pancake, and it worked out perfectly)

Step 5

When the batter is bubbling on top, flip over each drop scone. They are ready when each side is slightly browned.

Step 6

Serve with whatever you fancy: fresh fruit, maple syrup, jam, you decide!

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These pancakes don’t soak up the syrup the way typical pancakes do, which some will see as a plus (soggy pancakes can be a drag). When I took my first bite, I realized that these pancakes would be perfect for strawberry shortcake. I went to the grocery store that very day and bought some fresh strawberries and whipped cream so I could use the remaining pancakes for a dessert that evening. I made it simple, just cut up the strawberries and tossed them with some confectioner's sugar and with a can of Reddi-whip built the dessert.

As noted above, I used baking powder in place of the cream of tartar since I did not have the latter on hand. I looked up online the conversion ratio of 1 ½ teaspoons for each 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar.

The second time I made this recipe, I bought some cream of tartar so I could prepare them exactly like the Queen did. The result was essentially the same, I could tell no difference in appearance or taste. What was surprising, though, was that the cream of tartar begins working immediately, right in the bowl the batter begins rising even as you are scooping it out to the griddle!

I read that cream of tartar is a by-product of winemaking. I don’t know how anyone figured out the culinary benefits of the product, but there you go.

I hope you will try this recipe and use if for breakfast pancakes or for strawberry shortcake, and I hope you will fondly remember the Queen and me when you do.

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The Feminine Voice in a Pivotal Age

Today's post is a re-post from 2018. I offer it again on this Feast Day of Hildegard of Bingen an extraordinary woman of the twelfth century who, in our current day of struggle and upheaval is attracting renewed interest for her visionary leadership. - CK

The "silence breakers" of the Me Too Campaign
named Time Magazine's Person of the Year in 2017

I believe we are living in a pivotal age, meaning that humanity is at one of those historical crossroads.  The old institutions are not serving as effectively as in the past and we have not yet figured out what social structures will best serve us in our current time, not to mention in the years ahead. Pivotal times are never easy.  They are marked by unrest with some clinging to the past, others pressing for change, and few with adequate insight to see how to navigate the shoals of change.

The good news is that pivotal ages are times of rebirth for society. They are times when humanity can emerge from the chrysalis that held it for a time to find a new day of promise. The hard truth for those who happen to be living in a  pivotal age is that they will not see the full benefit that is yet to come.

Pivotal times are borne out today in that we are seeing the struggle of our emerging from that chrysalis of outdated structures (St. Paul called it labor pains that precede the birth of a new world). There is a new awareness arising that will ultimately guide us to a healthier way of living. Two big examples of that awareness are (1) society's insistence that we address the plight of child abuse and (2) the call to end men's violence against women.

In our lifetime, we may not see the full fruition. We may have to content ourselves with living in hope that the new day will dawn. In the meantime, we must not grow weary in our efforts toward the greater common good. To that end, I am re-posting an essay from September 2015 about Hildegard of Bingen.

Hildegard was a true visionary during a pivotal age. She lived from 1098 to 1179. I offer this brief recollection in celebration of that feminine voice that is emerging today as we find ourselves once again on the cusp of change. 

Hildegard of Bingen: Wellspring of Creativity

Hildegard of Bingen (Feast Day, September 17) is sometimes referred to as the patron saint of creativity. She has also been known as the patron saint of the culinary arts, having written many recipes including her "Cookies of Joy" recipe for "reducing bad humors" and "fortifying the nerves." Actually, she is not an official patron saint of anything, which may be a good thing because to think of Hildegard merely as a “patron saint” is to gloss over her profound capabilities and influence.

Hildegard of Bingen was a polymath – an individual highly gifted in a variety of fields. She was skilled in the healing arts, having written two books on pharmaceutical herbs and the workings of the body. Her written works include theology, ethics, and biblical commentary. In addition, she composed music and wrote poetry. She was a visionary who brought religion, science, and art together.

St. Hildegard has a wide range of admirers today. She was recently been named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XVI (there are only 35 Doctors of the Church to date, and only four women). She is also of interest to feminist scholars and many in the New Age movement.  She claimed her knowledge came from divine visionary experiences, which may have lent credence to her words at a time when women had little voice. She challenged institutional corruption in the church and spoke out for social justice. There is even renewed interest in Hildegard’s music, with several modern recordings featuring her works.

A Pivotal Age

The Twelfth Century was a very dynamic period and St. Hildegard was right there in the thick of it, having lived from 1098 to 1179. Indeed, it was a pivotal time of shaking off many of the old ways and taking up new forms. Perhaps it is no wonder that the saint from Bingen is attracting more attention in our day when old forms are not working and our institutions which were developed during the Industrial Revolution are languishing and becoming ineffectual.

One example of how Hildegard’s understanding grew and developed as a result of her visionary mystical experiences is seen in the following quote in which she describes one of her visions:

"Listen: there was once a king sitting on his throne. Around Him stood great and wonderfully beautiful columns ornamented with ivory, bearing the banners of the king with great honor. Then it pleased the king to raise a small feather from the ground, and he commanded it to fly. The feather flew, not because of anything in itself but because the air bore it along. Thus am I, a feather on the breath of God."

May we all come to see ourselves being borne up and empowered by the very breath of God. For people who want to celebrate a variety of life expressions,  for those who seek to participate in creativity, and for all of us who live in this pivotal age, it is good to spend some time today with such an incredible polymath as Hildegard of Bingen.

For more information check out the links below:

• Hildegard of Bingen: Visionary
• St. Hildegard of Bingen (at American Catholic.org "Saint of the Day")
• Hildegard of Bingen: Visionary, Composer, Writer (Women's History)
• St. Hildegard (New Advent Encyclopedia)
• The Patron Saints of the Culinary Arts (Loyola Press)
• St. Hildegard of Bingen (Catholic Online)

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Image of St, Hildegard of Bingen from Abby of the Arts Dancing Monks Series



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Monday Music: Woodie Guthrie and the Labor Movement

Woody Guthrie with his guitar
bearing the slogan,
"This machine kills fascists"

Labor Day is more than a three-day weekend. It's not just a day for one more trip to the beach or one last hot dog at the end of summer. It is a time to remember the benefits that the labor movement has brought to our country.  Many today seem to have little or no knowledge of the past struggles with the industrial corporations for better working conditions, even as workers' rights have slowly eroded in our day. Rights for working men and women have been hard-won in our society and without labor unions, much of what we take for granted in the workplace today would not have been put into place.

Woody Guthrie, known for his influence in American folk music, wrote over a thousand songs about "the common man." Many of those songs had to do with labor relations. "Ludlow Massacre" is a song commemorating an incident in 1914 during a coal miner's strike (See note below*). 

*From Wikipedia: The Ludlow Massacre was an attack by the Colorado National Guard and Colorado Fuel & Iron Company camp guards on a tent colony of 1,200 striking coal miners and their families at Ludlow, Colorado, on April 20, 1914. Some two dozen people, including women and children, were killed. The chief owner of the mine, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., was widely criticized for the incident...

...The Ludlow Massacre was a watershed moment in American labor relations. Historian Howard Zinn described the Ludlow Massacre as "the culminating act of perhaps the most violent struggle between corporate power and laboring men in American history". Congress responded to public outcry by directing the House Committee on Mines and Mining to investigate the incident. Its report, published in 1915, was influential in promoting child labor laws and an eight-hour work day.

And here is another one of Woody's old songs, "Union Maid" sung by Billy Bragg & Co. at Pete Seeger's 90th birthday celebration ...

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Saturday Haiku: Cone Flower

 flowers unfolding
displaying abundance and
beauty to the world

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Photo by Charles Kinnaird

PowWow Wild Berry (Echinacea purpurea)

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And then there was Raisa

The news this week of Mikhail Gorbachev's death reminded me of a poem I wrote 23 years ago when his wife died (Raisa had been diagnosed with leukemia). The news report that she died in Germany with her husband and daughter by her side was a moving image for me, seeing their humanity and also thinking of the hope for a new world that I had a glimpse of at the time.

For Raisa Gorbachev
 
In a hospital room in Germany
She quietly slips away
As a human life is distilled to its essence.
 
Working with her best friend and husband
In her remarkable life,
She assisted a man with such power and insight
That they were able to dismantle the system
As Christ dismantled his own need for survival.
 
New avenues were sought
Amidst times of intense activity and intrigue.
In swirling eddies of Old Guard retribution,
Fragile hopes and possibilities kept their foothold.
She confused all sides with her confidence in life.
 
In quieter times as she lay dying
Humanity is distilled to its essence
As devoted husband and daughter
Wait by her side
Exemplifying tenacious affirmation
Of love and connection
Which extends to all boundaries of human existence.
 
9/99                                                                    ~ CK

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For a deeper look at Mr. Gorbachev and Raisa, see Steve Rosenberg's article Mikhail Gorbachev: Remembering a warm-hearted and generous man.  “…he came across as a warm-hearted, decent man, who was still deeply in love with his wife and desperately sad that she had gone. Raisa was everywhere: in his books, in framed portraits on his office wall... and in the music.”

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