Sweet Summer Simmering in Rapport

Street ministry never knows where God leads. I don't. Really. Early in the day after praying some Psalms, and, a long run in Harrison Township. MI., Tucker Park, with the overly vibrant Cara, and, my more modest and white Woofie, my endearing dogs, Mass followed nearby with breakfast at Big Boy's while reading The Detroit News. The Arabic term, "Daesch," for ISIS/ISEL caught my eye. The Iranian leader was complaining that our U.S. President is doing nothing to help with the "henchmen," to use the term one guy I visited later this morning used for the killers. Sweet June's debut is like that, I suppose. Never know what it will bring this happy priest who works the trenches and talks with anyone in my path. O blessed summer! After all, they are all graced at my age to quote Judy Collins who adorned my Saint Mary's College, Orchard Lake, MI., Freshmen year bulletin board in the room where I resided with John Bish of West Warren, Massachusetts from '67-71. When Collins sang at the Macomb Community College Center Campus one Fall, she said: "It's good to be here; in fact, it's good to be anywhere at my age," added the folksinger who I admired. On my way to the Macomb/Clinton Library, a stop at the TV station next door gave pause to a conversation about how the staff there is doing. The acting director afforded me many minutes as he took a flier noting some events on strengthening marriage and family in Hamtramck, MI., Our Lady Queen of Apostles Church on Prescott near Conant, June 10th at 6 pm. Jewish, Muslim and Christian thought on fledgling family will be explored by a Rabbi, Pastor and Immam after a Preparing/Enriching Marriage session at 4 pm, and, a Good Grief Growth Group at 5 pm the same day. At the library I met Joseph Syrkowski and Ethel Dekarski in the Book Nook where I purchased the recycled, "A Labor of Love: How to Write a Eulogy." Amid the sale, Joseph, born in Poland, told me of his ordeal in Austria, his American-citizen dad's days in Concentration Camp, and, his tale of his brothers and parents in America. Some tears tore at his heart as he told this tale. I filled in the blank with a story about my two young nephews whene we went to Chicago from the Detroit City Airport to watch the Detroit Pistons win a championship game. Joseph was showing me how short he was when the Germans removed his family from Poland. That brought to mind how my little nephews told about how they couldn't "see the game since the players were so tall," they confessed. How interesting, I thought. It (life) is all about story, isn't it? In the computer room now, crafting some words and sentences to make sense of the wonder of God's Good Earth.