Good Morning Friends & Digital Neighbors! Happy Tuesday Beloved Supporters, Happy Members, Come-along Lurkers and all the rest of you merry lot! More on imagination as we continue thoughts and quotes on such a vital gift for humanity. Most of this week will be the fun side of imagination, but today we detour momentarily to acknowledge that imagination as an adult is usually anything but fun. The "adult" imagination is often a different experience than our childhood musings.

"We went into the hospital for a routine procedure, my husband has cancer in his gall bladder." I could hear the shock and fear in her voice. Cancer - Death, the two seem inseparable in our adult imagination. I first assured her of my prayers, my availability for visits and support and then I cautioned her against letting the "adult" imagination take her to very dark and hopeless places. I said the temptation to know as much as possible about the risks involved, the signs of cancer having spread elsewhere (pancreas) will not give her the assurance or confidence she thinks it will. It may for some, but I have met few of them who can take such information and not let it feed fears rather than hopes.

Adult imagination - darker, more real - more inescapable for so many of us whatever the current boogie-man might be in our wheel-house of addiction, disorder or disease. The weight of such imagination is real, but its power need not be as great or overwhelming as we give it permission to come. We often long for the imagined monsters of childhood that were not real and could be chased away at the break of day or the sound of a parents voice.

I don't know a good cure-all - I know mine. I can't say it would work for everyone. I think about death probably everyday, my death, my sudden passing or gradual deflation like an old party balloon. I think about the possible trials I may face from heart disease, a stroke, cancer or a host of other things "out there" waiting to change my life to a more difficult path. I think about the surrender to things I cannot control but only try to accept with as much hope as possible. Not a rosy picture for Tommy-boy, but a likely one. I just hope I am not a crab-ass who can't handle change, or a perpetual complainer of ills or bitcher at life. I putting my poker chips on crazy old fart and certified loon.😉

I have had a privileged seat at the ring-side of life from it beginnings, through life's changes and many times at its endings. I have been in many rooms with a stranger or parishioner at their passing, some peacefully drifting off into the bliss of eternity others whose bodies did not want to go even if their person had long since left. Sometimes my presence there is the best I can offer, not all are receptive to the current chapter of reality for their loved one, especially in the cases of the sudden and tragic. The Big Guy can handle the anger with patience, so can I. When nudged by the Spirit - there are offers of prayers, invitations of trust, pouring out of sorrows and grief.

Lots of funerals as you might imagine (no pun intended). 😜 It is a great time of prayer and hope for me and I try to share that with the family. I believe in the Love that is on the other side, the healing that awaits those receptive to it, the correcting of so many of life wrongs, real or perceived as such. If my atheistic friends are right, we just go off to be dust in a box, ashes in an urn or poured in some meaningful location and we hope our impact lives on it others. I hope they are sadly mistaken, but we don't have anyone back from the dead to tell us of the experience. Of course, there is One, but like the Athenians listening to St. Paul, it seems mightily convenient that this "Risen One" is not around anymore for those seeking something more concrete and certifiable.

@ Padre's Only Addition - Faith makes all the difference. When all of the above is put under its umbrella, all things are good, bearable and a cause of gratitude if I but trust.

Ramble on - thank you Led Zepplin and thank you if you read all of that. I have been up since 12:45 AM for weekly Adoration in the 1 AM slot. I cashed in my daily chips at 8 and got a good four hours of sleep. There will be a nap this afternoon ad decreed by Pharaoh. Imagination is funny as the song goes. Such a good one. Happy Tuesday Friends!