Updates on Various Matters

Many of you have been kind enough to e-mail me privately, asking about Chris, so I thought I'd satisfy everyone's questions with a public blog: He's fine. Now that the first shock has worn off, he's had a chance to evaluate and to realize how "lucky" (read: blessed!) he was, that things weren't much worse.

At the time, he thought he was without auto insurance, which is not mandatory in NH. He had had auto insurance when living here, which he transferred to PA when living there, but when he called to change his insurance back to a NH policy, he was told he would have to cancel the PA policy and then re-apply for a NH policy. So he went ahead and cancelled the PA policy, then found himself working day shift and was unable to apply for a NH policy.

We have dealt with this insurance company for 25 years, and I find that they are the best company out there (Amica), so last Sunday (after the accident), I said, "Let's give them a call and see if there's a grace period." Well -- I still don't know if there's a grace period, but his PA insurance is in effect until he gets his NH insurance! So they are covering the accident under the old policy, and then he can get NH insurance. This time, I'm sure he'll make a point of it.

As for the rest of Life -- it's pretty much the same as everyone else's, at least everyone who reads this blog. Getting ready for Pascha. I read everywhere about what a rough Lent it's been for everyone, and as you know, it's been rough for me, too -- not just in dealing with the sudden taking over of my mind by about 15 fictional characters, but also in the ongoing struggle to get my father-in-law's financial affairs in order. So much of this involves pensions from the City of NY, and New York bureaucrats could teach classes in stonewalling to those boobs down in Washington -- I've never seen so many hoops to jump through, and it's Jim who has to jump through them all, because he has the Power of Attorney. Just when his bosses are pressuring him to step up his production, too. I have been handling the other Money Stuff, taxes and stock holdings and trying to get his address changed -- I've lost track of the number of changes of address I've submitted, and I've come to the conclusion that no one in New Jersey knows how to read.

And all this when you're supposed to be focussing on your spiritual life, and on improving your relationship with God, not with your stockbroker. Then there's the usual Church Tension between dh and me. Jim just does not understand the "draw" of church. I mentioned that I would be attending a 6:00 a.m. Holy Thursday Liturgy, and he about flipped out: "That means you have to leave home at 5:00!!!" "Yeah, well, I've been doing it for the past I forget how many years, three or four." And he starts on a rant about Insensitive Priests who schedule services at Ridiculous Hours. I pointed out that this particular priest, whom I love dearly, has services this early so that people who work can still get there, and that it means that that priest, who lives a lot closer than I do, has to get up at 4:00 a.m. to do this for his flock; it falls on deaf ears.

But I know you will all understand what I'm saying when I write: If you love something or someone, there is no such thing as exigency. Love doesn't say, I'll do this, but only so far. When you love greatly, there is no such thing as "too much." (If you have kids, I don't need to say another word!) I can get up for a 6:00 a.m. Liturgy at 4:30 a.m., drive the 40 miles/70 km to get there, and wish I could do even more. I'll be in church every night this week, except last night -- I do try to accommodate dh when I can -- but I wish I could just live at church during Holy Week. As my priest said this past Sunday, "Lent was about us. Holy Week is about Him."

It's not about Obligation. It's about Love.