Confusion.

I got excited. Our governor said the he and his wife were going on a three day fast using those days to pray and reflect. Nothing else seems to be working against the virus. I thought it was a pretty good idea. Prayer and fasting doesn’t require organized religion. Or, if you prefer, it is done by Catholics, Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews and others that have slipped my mind.

I mentioned it to my neighbor who sits outside on Sunday and reads the Bible since she can’t go to church, not that she went every Sunday.

Her first comment was, “Well, I’m not Catholic.” I replied with what I wrote above. Not to be outdone, she replied, “I don’t need his spiritual guidance and besides I pray for resolution of the virus everyday.”

And, there you have it. The reason that I’m not affiliated with any church.

I do go to church. The church of the holy second line. I haven’t been to my church in a long time. Not since about February when my hurting hip was fixed. I miss it. I miss the smells. I miss the sights. The sounds.

Most of all, I miss seeing my friends.

Many of us have said when this is over we’ll hold the biggest second line anybody every saw. None of us know when that will be. People have passed who deserve a jazz funeral. First line members have passed who deserve the dirge before we reach Lafayette No. 2.

None of that has happened. It might never happen. Or, we will be so burnt out that we never do it.

And, that’s sad.

That’s our religion.

The Picture

It’s a rose. As usual, it was made on a walk. I developed the picture and added a little to it. Then it hit me, why not take this as far as I can go? So, I did.

That’s what you are looking at. A picture whose color has been pulled and twisted. A picture whose sharp features have been softened beyond recognition. A picture that has been inverted. Enjoy it.

Stay safe. Stay mighty. You know what to do. Enjoy every rose that you stop and smell.