Hayter for April 9,
2023
“Michelangelo, meet Lincoln”
I had intended to carry out today’s discussion on the back porch. I like sitting on the back porch on a rainy day. Unfortunately, the cool breeze created a cold mist that wouldn’t leave me alone. So we ended up in my study again.
The thing I like about meeting you guys outside is that I don’t need to worry about any one particular topic. So, I don’t need any notes. I get to just sit and talk. Unfortunately, I didn’t know I’d be inside, so I have no notes.
That means we need to pretend we’re sitting on the back porch, without getting wet. So, what’s on your mind? -- Okay, I’ll go first. -- It hit me this morning that I have very little resilience. You know, stick-to-it-iveness. I give up too easily.
Say, I was Michelangelo, and I’m working on the statue of David. Granted, I don’t know what David looked like, but I could probably put him in a robe. I can do a robe. But his head and face? Get real
I start with the ears, only to find out that I can’t do ears. Human ears are weird. Indian elephant ears are like two flaps. I could carve two flaps. Human ears are a wonderment. I don’t intend to criticize God’s creation of the human ear, but I find it strange that He went with a curved piece of flesh dangling from the hearing part of the ear. Adam called it an “earlobe”. Eve recommended it be called the “dang-ally thing”. Adam thought the word too confusing, so he went with “earlobe”.
I saw a movie last week where a lady didn’t have any earlobes. It didn’t mess me up in the least. That being said, I couldn’t tell you what she looked like, other than she didn’t have any earlobes.
The point is, if some people can live and hear at the same time, without earlobes—why have ‘em? To scare off flies? I know that God doesn’t need any suggestions from me about how to make things, so let’s forget I brought it up.
Speaking of the appendix? I read today, that if you plan to go to Antarctica for any duration, you must have an appendectomy. If you’re at the South Pole and have an appendix attack, you’re dead. Of course, Superman could fly you to the Falkland Islands, but who’s going to call him. You, Lt. Kaffee?
A few years ago, my appendix started
causing me much pain, so Kay drove me to the emergency room where a cancer surgeon
just happened to be on duty. After opening me up, he was on his way to my
appendix when he spotted two cancerous tumors on a portion of my small
intestines. The surgeon went ahead and gave me a two-for-one surgery.
That fact makes me wonder, had I not had appendicitis and had my doctor not been a cancer surgeon, my remains could be in an urn out in the garage. So, where am I going with this?
Okay, I started with Michelangelo carving David out of stone. After realizing that there are people in charge of schools in Florida who think Michelangelo’s David is pornography, I had to stop at David’s ears.
While I consider the Statue of David a great piece of art, I’m not a big fan of Michelangelo’s carved piece called “Head of a Faun”. Granted M’angelo was only 15 years old when he carved it, but still, it’s a mean-looking face. The ears are great, though.
Again, where am I going with this? I’m going straight to Abraham Lincoln because I read something about him this morning. The man had trouble getting elected to positions in towns, state legislatures, and Congress. In 1832, 1838, and 1840, he lost elections for state government offices. He lost bids for U.S. Congress in 1843,1848, and 1854. He was elected President of the United States in 1860.
Say what you want about Abraham Lincoln, but the man had resilience. You know, the never give up attitude! He was about to give up during the 1864 election, at a time when the Civil War had been going on longer than anyone thought it would, and there was still uncertainty among many in the North that the war was worth the fighting. The Democrats backed General McClellan who was considered The Peace Candidate.
A short while before the election of ’64, Lincoln
called his cabinet officials and members of Congress to the White House. He
told them, that if Gen McClellan won the election, they were not to cause a
ruckus. Just politely turn the reins of government over to the new President of
Peace. Several days before the election, news spread that Sherman had taken
over Atlanta. The end of the War was in sight, and a Peace Candidate was not needed.
Lincoln ended up getting elected President in November 1864. He was sworn in for a second time on March 4, 1865, and died 44 days later on April 15, 1865. Yep, the only thing that put an end to one of the world’s greatest spokesmen and wisest of presidents was a bullet from an actor.
Life? What a wonderment. – So, today’s
talk was on Michelangelo and Lincoln. The first I’ve ever done… or anyone else,
for that matter. And all because you wanted to sit on the porch. – Beg your
pardon?
end
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