An Ordinary Day

May 5, 2011. Yesterday was a chore day. Went to the pharmacy, got gas in the car, went to Sam’s and Walmart, stopped at the ATM, and to the Pet store. In the evening was Bell Choir practice (I ring the low C, D, & F#) followed by Chancel Choir rehearsal. Today I took my Saturn in for an oil change. When I was an active pastor I had to take the car in for an oil change about every six weeks or so; now I’ve gone about six months before I needed one. We picked Norah up from school and brought her to our apartment. She was directing me in all sorts of ‘pretend’ games. But at one point she said, “You are making me agitated.” 

This morning I went for my walk and became very tired—my legs became weak. I don’t know why. Perhaps because I hadn’t had anything to eat yet; or because I didn’t get enough sleep. I remember when I used to jog 4 ½ miles about five days a week which included some uphill running. The farthest I ever ran at one time was eight miles. I loved to jog. I would get ‘in the zone’ and feel wonderful. I remember running around the bottom of Iroquois Park in Louisville, and also running from the bottom to the top. But that was when I was younger. I never get in the zone when I walk.

I was listening to music on my iPod as I walked, and I kept thinking, That’s a piece of music I’d like to have played at my funeral. There was Bach’s “Wachet auft” played on organ by Karl Richter, “Blackbird” by Second Hand Smoke, “Kyrie” by Mr. Mister, “Light One Candle” by Peter, Paul & Mary, “Over the Rainbow” sung by Eva Cassidy, and Bach’s “Prelude and Fugue in A Minor” on piano by Angela Hewitt. All these pieces exude hope and joy. If you’ve never heard Eva Cassidy, you owe it to yourself to download some of her songs. Tragically, she died of cancer in her early thirties. Beautiful, soulful voice. I’m not sure what Mr. Mister understands the message of their “Kyrie,” but I interpret it as a gospel message having to do with our journey of life—on the road, in the dark—and the Mercy that accompanies us.

This was also my day to take all my receipts for April and file them away according to category, and especially to figure my Housing Allowance amount for last month, which I keep in a computer file.

Today I read the poem “Ballet Blanc” by Katha Pollitt. It begins: Baryshnikov leaps higher than your heart… It goes on to describe a glorious experience at the ballet and alludes to an enjoyable meal in an upscale restaurant. The poet paints a picture of someone caught up in an aesthetic event, actually getting ‘high’ on great art, who then goes to bed and sleeps deeply. The last line is: Tomorrow you will wake up ordinary. 

I’m grateful for the gifts of music, art, theater, sports, movies, novels, and sex that can transport us to another level of life—an extraordinary place within the ordinary. I think Jesus hinted at this phenomenon when he talked about the ‘kingdom of God’ (or ‘kingdom of heaven’ in Matthew’s gospel). He spoke of extraordinary realities within ordinary existence. (The yeast hidden in the dough.) There is something unseen in life that is real and spirit-filled and spirit-fueled. Aesthetic experiences pull back the curtain and let us glimpse the unseen spirit.  

Today will be an ordinary day for you. But there is more to it…

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