A person can disagree vehemently with another’s core philosophies, yet still have respect for that individual. Such has been my experience with regard to Pope Francis, who died this morning. He believed deeply in a “creator;” I do not. He did not support full equality for women (as evidenced by his refusal to permit women to be priests); I do. He was unequivocal in his opposition to abortion; I believe women should have the ultimate say over their own bodies. Despite those stark differences, I respected him for his intellect and his support for other philosophies that were far more progressive. And I respected him for his willingness to speak out against philosophies and actions that fly in the face of what I consider fundamental human rights and basic morality. With his death, the process of selecting a new pope will take place; having recently watched a film (The Conclave) that presents a fictionalized and dramatized account of that procedure, I will be interested to follow how that practice plays out in the real world.
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Last night, as we watched the final episodes of Bosch: Legacy on Amazon Prime, I felt like I was subjected to what I considered the outcome of economic intimidation carried out through political bullying. Two automobile commercials, in particular, seemed to be willingly responsive to the bullying tactics of the current administration. Ford and Hyundai ads made reference to being “made in the USA” and one of them stressed keeping prices stable, seemingly even in light of pressures that normally would have caused prices to rise. Had that ad been presented another way, it might be interpreted as a protest to tariffs. But it seemed to me to be a self-congratulatory pat on the back for “patriotically” supporting recent US policies. I will admit I could have misinterpreted the ads in light of my bias against recent actions of the current administration. But I doubt it.
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I don’t know which is worse: my preoccupation with the decline of the US into a loathsome totalitarian regime or my preoccupation with my cancer. I suppose focusing on my own health issue is worse because it is tightly focused and self-serving; only a tiny group is affected by it. Preoccupation with a political transformation that will negatively impact people worldwide is understandable and, potentially, more impactful.
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Hot Springs Village seems to have been on the outer fringes of last night’s fast-moving storms that spawned high winds, heavy rains, and a few tornadoes. But the tornado warnings caused us to spend some time in the laundry room with the cat. The storms washed the clouds from the sky and lowered the temperatures considerably; when I got up this morning, the house felt quite chilly. It’s still uncomfortably cool, and the outside temperature is 50°F. I am tempted to turn on the heat (we’ve had the air conditioner on for several days), but the outside temperatures are expected to reach into the low to mid-70s later today. Perhaps I should take advantage of the fireplace, instead. Or I might be more comfortable if I were to don a down vest now and remove it when I feel uncomfortably warm. Early Spring can be a time of difficult adjustment.
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Yesterday afternoon, a good friend delivered to us an Easter basket full of marvelous goodies. The ears of two chocolate bunnies were already missing this morning. And several small smoked snack sausages, along with little bags of snack chips disappeared last night. I think the gift may have been a not-so-subtle message that my loss of weight is unpleasantly noticeable. No, not really; it’s an expression of friendship and love. A deeply appreciated expression.
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If I could locate the source of the rat-a-tat-tat sound I hear outside, I might see a woodpecker making the last few stabs at a huge tree before the leafy monster crashes to the ground (I hope it hits the ground and not the house).
