It's about 70 degrees outside, just before 7:00 am. It could be worse and will be as we move deeper into the sweaty froth of north Texas summer. Actually, 70 degrees is downright comfortable. I need to go out for a walk. The question is, will I?
I went to a memorial service for an association management colleague yesterday. I hadn't known her well, but had socialized with her a bit during association events over the years until she moved away to Colorado a few years ago. I didn't know she was moving and have not kept in touch, but I knew her and felt that attending her service would at least show her family that she had friends in the association community in Dallas. Only five association executives attended, which surprised me. She was a popular person while she was in Dallas, yet many of the people who knew her better than I and were far closer than I chose not to attend (or couldn't). I know some people who almost certainly would have attended were out of town on business.
The service was held at the Church of the Holy Communion, a Reformed Episcopal Church. I felt like a fish out of water! Everyone there seemed to be familiar with the various ceremonies and the prayers, etc. Everyone but me! It has been so very, very long since I have been in a church...and even longer, MUCH longer, since I was involved (or supposed to have been involved) in the processes. A woman who sat next to me, another association executive I've known for years and years, apparently knew the drill and when the priest (or whatever Episcopals call the head honcho) said, "let us pray," she looked to me as if she expected me to do something. When I didn't, she knelt down to pull out the knee-rest (forgive me, I don't even know the language) that is used for people to kneel on when in prayer. Those who noticed my complete ignorance of religious process probably thought to themselves, "Heathen!" as they increased their distance from me. Despite the fact that I find the religious process and the beliefs upon which the processes are based to be absurd, I hold no ill will toward the believers...as long as they really don't hold ill will toward me for being a nonbeliever. In our society, though, nonbelievers (particularly those of us with virtually no experience with the processes and routines) are at a distinct disadvantage in trying to "blend in" during religious ceremonies. I suppose I could have simply stayed away, but the point of attending, from my perspective, was not to send the woman on her way to heaven but, rather, to help her family know that their loved one meant enough to other people that they are willing to interrupt their routines to pay their respects.
That leads to an interesting issue: what do people do when atheists die? Are they honored in some way? Do people gather in public parks to celebrate their passing? Despite the fact that funerals/memorial services are for the survivors, it seems to me that it would be a slap in the face of the atheist who died if services were held at a church. I'll have to look into that. Surely something must have been written about the topic.
I don't wear business suits anymore, but I wore one yesterday. I'm not comfortable in a suit; for one thing, mine no longer fit me well. For another, a buttoned collar and a tie around my neck are awfully confining. I've even stopped wearing suits when I make a presentation to a potential client. Instead, I wear a dressy t-shirt and a sports coat. I've only done that twice; once I got the client, once I didn't. I hope my lack of suit & tie doesn't have a bearing on whether I get a new client; if it does, I guess I have to decide whether I would want to do business with people who make their decisions on the basis of such stuff.
Finally, on a completely different topic, if you have high-speed Internet connectivity, you'll find this item interesting and informative. One of my brothers sent me the link to this media show:
http://www.malcontent.biz/video/advocate-circlec-hi.wmv
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