Pardon me if today’s post is shrouded in a bit of mystery, for the event that is the focus of my reflection isn’t all that important to many people beside me, though the experience I’m sure matches many of yours.
Something good happened today. No, the cure for the virus wasn’t discovered nor did the President skip his daily press briefing. A small bit of good happened today (actually it was something bad that didn’t happen, but these days we’ll take that as a good), and I am deeply happy and grateful and frankly unbelieving.
These are days when it feels like troubles and bad news stalk us like robocalls. We fear to answer the phone or look at the phone lest we learn about another illness, another death, another financial disaster, another personal loss. We become so sure of the disasters that we fear to even hope for anything else as we cringingly look at our phone or watch the news through fingers covering over eyes. Which is why a bit of good news surprises us as much as it delights us. “Wait! That’s not supposed to happen!”
At the end of the movie Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Wonka, played by the incomparable Gene Wilder gently, almost unbelievingly, touches the Gobstopper given back by Charlie in a truly selfless act, and incorrectly quotes Shakespeare, “So shines a good deed in a weary world.” Now the original was spoken by Portia in The Merchant of Venice, “So shines a good deed in a naughty world.” However, the change of word so perfectly captures that moment, and it captures this moment as well. We are weary from a constant diet of bad news, and for me today (and I hope many times for you) we touch something good with almost untrusting joy, but joy nonetheless.
Be safe, be strong.
Today’s playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6IHtUtlYxGYyZ4cQ61kAJX?si=7A2aouIyRduEdKYgv1iisQ
This post also reminds me of the coincidentally virus shaped gobstopper and Mr. Wonka saying “Everybody has had one, and one is enough for anybody!” We have all had enough! Weary is a perfect word.