Been Thinking...

View of the Rhode Island State House from near Saints Sahag and Mesrob Armenian Church. I-95 is in the foreground.

Those of you who have been following along know that I am currently doing a stint as a juror in Superior Court in Providence, the capital of Little Rhody. While I can't talk about the details of the case, the participants, or anything else about the case now, I will, eventually post about the trial itself. All I can say at this point is that the trial is a criminal matter.

I consider myself a student of the human condition, anyone who studies history must be, for history (as we know it) is made by, and recorded by, humans. To my knowledge, no other species on this planet does so. Though I often wonder about elephants, they even mourn their dead. I wonder if they have some form of history, perhaps passed down from generation to generation orally. Much as we did long before the written word was invented.

(Source)

That lead in picture was taken Thursday morning as I was waiting for the shuttle bus over to the court house. As is my wont, I had arrived rather early (I'm all about beating the traffic, I'd rather sit and wait in a parking lot than sit in traffic). Usually the shuttle is already there but there were no new jurors needing to show up at 0815, so I had some time. I decided to stroll around to see what I could see.

As I mentioned above, the picture was taken near an Armenian church. I had no idea such a thing existed, and I've had a few friends of Armenian descent. I also learned (from a sign out in front of the church) that the Armenian language has it's own alphabet, for instance - Հայ Առաքելական Եկեղեցի is (as you might guess) Armenian, for the "Armenian Apostolic Church." I had no ideer. They also have a few beliefs I find quite interesting. Most interesting. (Of course, I Googled the church. Seems that that branch of Christianity has been around since the Fifth Century AD.)

Anyhoo.

When I took that opening photo, I had time to spare, nowhere to be right away. I looked around. I watched a small bird rooting around in the grass leading down to a very busy interstate highway. People going to and fro, going about their business. That bird didn't give a fig. He was looking for food, no doubt the same way his kind did ten thousand years ago.

Other than the traffic noise, it was most pleasant where I stood, just watching things going on around me. Part of it, but detached, at least for the moment. All too soon I would have to head on over to the court house. Back to business as it were.

But I thanked my God for that brief opportunity to just take a moment and watch. The people, the birds, the clouds in the sky. Stopping to smell the roses, as it were.

Being in court, thrown in with a bunch of strangers has been very enlightening. One thing I've noticed, even in this very red blue* state of Little Rhody, is that normal folks seem disgusted with "politics as usual." Gives me hope it does. I mean, many of my fellow jurors are life long Dems! They cannot stomach the current circus either. What happens in November, I have no idea. I pray for the best. I still have hope. Perhaps the Creator is testing us. It certainly feels like it. But I see things which give me hope.

There is another thing about court that is most depressing. I am often appalled at the evil we do unto each other. Some of the things I'm hearing are, depraved. There is no other word for it. The things we humans do to each other is, in a word, disgusting.

But there is no court today (Friday as I write this), Saturday, and Sunday. I am away from that. I have no idea how people in the court system manage to do this every day. Week after week, year after year. I don't know if I could. I suppose you learn to stay detached from it, to develop a hard shell to protect yourself. But still, what the Hell is wrong with some people?

It's depressing...

But I have my faith, my family, and my friends. That's enough for me, it suits me fine. The outside world will do what it does, as for me, I will sit in my garden, have a beer, and watch the sky.

The Lord's canvas is vast, if one is observant, you can see a masterpiece that would make the great artists of old weep at the beauty of it.

Je suis content...

Friday evening at sunset was breathtaking.

I am blessed...



* Freudian slip. I know that red is used to represent Republican enclaves and that blue is for Democrat. I see red, I think Communist. Sorry. Thanks for the correction Cap'n Steve!