From Rah:
Do you believe your beloved “walks”? Kinda like Kanye’s “Jesus Walks”. And if so does this give you solace and comfort or other such feelings.
I… don’t know what this means.
I think it’s because of the word “beloved” which… um. I don’t use this word for anything. I know that other people use it, like at weddings: “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today, something something blah blah” because like I really pay attention at weddings. And there’s that movie where Gary Oldman (you know, I love Gary Oldman) was Beethoven, Immortal Beloved, and also there was that one Toni Morrison novel, Beloved, and Oprah turned it into a movie starring Oprah. And I’ve had to write a lot of papers about Toni Morrison novels, you guys. Did you know that the first sentence of a Toni Morrison novel encapsulates everything that the novel will be about, but you can’t know that when you first read it, because hello, you just started the book so you don’t even know what it’s about yet? It’s true.
Oh, also, back in the day when I was a kid and my family used to go to this church, and there was this song, which I am singing to myself right now. I forgot that this song existed until just a minute ago, but let me tell you — those old school choruses that we had to sing in church never really go away. And the fact that I’m singing “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is loooooooove. Beloved, let us love one another. First John, 4:7 and 8.” (And yes, you do sing the chapter and verse there at the end. It’s part of the song.) I’m going to have that in my head for days now. THANKS SO MUCH.
I am now hung up on childhood church memories. I used to think that building was so huge, but I went back there a couple of years ago for a funeral, and I think somebody shrunk it. I was taller than the coat rack. I used to have to jump to be able to touch the hangers. I’m not really sure why I jumped to reach the coat hangers, but I think it was one of those things. “See if you can reach these!” You know. Kids. Also, when the sanctuary was empty, we used to race under the pews. We’d army crawl underneath them, starting at the back pew and moving up to the front, then we’d turn and race to the back. Those are my main memories of that church, other than I used to get in trouble for talking too much. Go figure.
I know that’s so interesting.
So. Um, Kanye West? I just listened to Kanye for direction, which I think is the first time that’s ever happened. I still feel directionless. But even though Kanye and I would differ on Beyonce fandom, I also think that Taylor Swift is overrated, and furthermore, I set my alarm to Top 40 radio, because nothing is guaranteed to get me out of bed faster than having some horribly bad song blasted at me early in the morning, and so I’m familiar with this Taylor Swift song, and I don’t know what it’s called, but the theme of it is all “I’m so way better for you than your girlfriend because I totally get you, man” and I think it’s supposed to be sweet, but instead it just reminds me of this creepy girl in high school who was obsessed with my friend’s boyfriend and used to say that she would be better for him because she understood him and… well, she said other stuff too, but it was crazy, and it wasn’t endearing, it was just bizarre and sad.
I obviously took a bus to Tangent Town.
But is it really a tangent if you didn’t have a point when you started? Very important question, that.
So anyway, I don’t know, man. I’m not sure what constitutes a beloved (a ghost? a god? a soulmate?) and I guess this is a case where my brain goes hyper-literal and I can’t move beyond that. It happens sometimes, and I believe that has to be one of my more endearing qualities. Of course.
I’m sure this has all been very enlightening.
I really don’t know anything about Kanye’s “Jesus Walks” (though Google tells me it’s a song). But I’m thinking that whoever or whatever the beloved is, they’re probably going to have to go to the kitchen sometime, or the bathroom. And they’re probably going to walk.
Despite what the song says, though, the bathroom walk is often done alone, and I’m fine with that.
Posted by Andy C | November 24, 2009, 10:29 amOne true story and another mostly untrue one:
True – Toni Morrison is professor emeritus of English Lit at Wake Forest. I believe she teaches one class every couple years. I see her from time to time in certain food markets with her assistant. She seems lovely, but I don’t think I’d want to walk up to her and start asking questions about open areas in the plots of any of her books. She may be old and moderately frail, but I’ll bet when riled, she could lay a massive ass whoopin’ on a bitch.
Mostly Untrue: When I was but a mere lad, I asked a pastor why it was necessary to mention God so many times in a hymn that was basically already made with Him in mind, so isn’t constantly repeating His name sort of redundant and certainly applying an unfair air of vanity to His ‘personality’? And also the book of Revelations reads as if John were tripping on mushrooms or whatever hallucinatory plant one might find on the Isle of Patmos. S’up with that?
I was told to never come back to church.
Posted by You can call me, 'Sir' | November 24, 2009, 3:50 pm‘bus to Tangent town’ – simplest way to travel
Posted by judih | November 25, 2009, 12:40 pmI asked, you answered. done deal.
Posted by * | November 26, 2009, 2:53 am