The Reliability of Ritual

I have been watching the ceremonies surrounding the burial of President Gerald Ford. It reminds me of how comforting rituals are; you know when to stand and when to sit, what to say, exactly what is going to happen next, what it all means. There are no surprises, no ad hoc moves. It is all written down in a book that generations have studied and practiced and learned. The turns are sharp; the salutes are crisp and solemn; everyone knows his/her part and performs it without fault or hesitation. There is something reassuring in this formality; even though there has been a monumental event, this ceremony, this acknowledgement of a passing, is constant. We know what comes next. The National Cathedral never looked so grand, filled with black-clad mourners, come to bid farewell to the man who was fated to be the national janitor, the one to clean up the terrible mess left behind in the Watergate fiasco. And he did it with grace, dedication, and an understanding of what this country needed at that time. I was deeply moved when Bishop John Chane, the bishop of Washington, welcomed Ford's body into the Cathedral for his unification with the Saints. RIP, Gerald Ford.

The "food by mouth" program had a bit of a set back yesterday, but got back on track today. Tonight we were talking about heading off for Mexico. I really do think we will make it. Jim's lab numbers were better; blood tests yesterday showed an improvement in red blood count so he is off the Procrit injections. This is very good news. His count is still below normal, but it always is and in fact it is better than his "normal" numbers.

This parched valley is expecting rain tomorrow. Long overdue.