Gratitude and........."

Journal entry by Al Negstad — a minute ago

In some past posts I struggled with a quotation from Pastor Mary that began "It is impossible to be grateful and _____ at the same time."  She said it in a sermon about the time Joanne died and also said it to me personally in response to Joanne's abundance of gratitude even as she lay dying.   Pastor Mary, newly returned from Holden Village, was at church this morning giving me an opportunity to ask her.  When she had a moment to reflect it came back to her, "It is impossible to be grateful and hate at the same time."
    She also said that "Gratitude is the antidote to narcissism."  To which I replied, "Yes, they are mutually exclusive."   Gratitude is also the balm for grief though it may be very difficult to be grateful when one is in deep grief...it comes easier as one moves in the land of grief.  In the past I have often said "It's hard to improve on honesty."  It is also hard to improve on gratitude.
 Included below is a poem just for fun.  It's from today's  Writer's Almanac.

                                                             The Fantastic Names of Jazz
                                                                               by Hayden Carruth

                                                                         Zoot Sims, Joshua Redman,
                                                                         Billie Holiday, Pete Fountain,
                                                                         Fate Marable, Ivie Anderson,
                                                                         Meade Lux Lewis, Mezz Mezzrow,
                                                                         Manzie Johnson, Marcus Roberts,
                                                                         Omer Simeon, Miff Mole, Sister
                                                                         Rosetta Tharpe, Freddie Slack,
                                                                         Thelonious Monk, Charlie Teagarden,
                                                                         Max Roach, Paul Celestin, Muggsy
                                                                         Spanier, Boomie Richman, Panama
                                                                          Francis, Abdullah Ibrahim, Piano
                                                                          Red, Champion Jack Dupree,
                                                                          Cow Cow Davenport, Shirley Horn,
                                                                          Cedar Walton, Sweets Edison,
                                                                          Jaki Byard, John Heard, Joy Harjo,
                                                                          Pinetop Smith, Tricky Sam

                                                                          Nanton, Major Holley, Stuff Smith,

                                                                          Bix Beiderbecke, Bunny Berigan,
                                                                          Mr. Cleanhead Vinson, Ruby Braff,
                                                                          Cootie Williams, Cab Calloway,
                                                                          Lockjaw Davis, Chippie Hill,
                                                                          And of course Jelly Roll Morton.
 

“The Fantastic Names of Jazz” by Hayden Carruth from Doctor Jazz. © Copper Canyon Press, 2003. Reprinted with permission. 

Takk for alt,

Al,  

PS Today it rained on my clean windows, see if I wash them again!