Something old, something new. (Posted late for Jan 15th)
My good Bishop, Gayle Harris had a strong admonition for me when we met in in June 2006.
“Now when you retire”, she said, “don’t even think of taking on any commitments for at least six months”.
The reason for her words was sound. So many Rectors have taken such pride in how busy they are in parish life, that they cannot bear retirement without being similarly busy.
I took the Bishop’s advice. I had little choice. I was so tired that could not take on any commitments for a year. They I was ready to re-enter.
You’ve read about my commitment to Resurrection House, the day shelter for homeless people in Sarasota. I have been volunteering there for seven months. I also “help out” a bit at St. David’s, Englewood where the Rector, Arthur Lee, has been more than generous in sharing pulpit and altar.
But as I began to truly relax in retirement I was also aware of a warning given me by a Psychologist, in 2004. She noted that my “identity” was deeply intertwined with my priesthood and ministry. She wondered aloud if I would “die on the vine” in retirement with no “Church” to sustain my sense and appreciation of who I am.
I knew that she was on to something.
Last year I joined the Historical Society of Sarasota County. Their meetings have included some enriching lectures, about which more.
I’ve also subscribed to the Sarasota Concert Association’s 2008 season - a bargain with five first class concerts on the slate for $120, and to the 2008 season of the Sarasota Opera (a wee bit more expensive!). Classical music has always been at the heart of my spiritual and emotional life, but I never took time to attend concerts because I was “too busy”.
I’ve been aware of Sarasota’s deep history of Circus (in fact without Circus there would not have been a Sarasota as we know it). But I knew very little about the history of Circus here. Last evening (Jan 15th) I enjoyed a Historical Society lecture about the Circus, given by Pedro Reis and Dolly Jacobs, founders of Circus Sarasota. I’d seen the Circus Sarasota tent, but had imagined that it was some rinky-dink outfit. Was I wrong! I learned so much new about something old. I was enthralled.
Dolly is a native Sarasotian. She is a daughter of the late and great clown Lou Jacobs. Pedro hails from South Africa. He quit school in the 12th grade so that be could “run away and join the circus”.
Their passion for circus as art, as theatre, as hard won skill was contagious.
Their commitment to community service is outstanding. I plan to attend Circus Sarasota this February or March. Read more about them at
http://www.circussarasota.org/History.cfm
Monday last I attended the first 2008 event of the Concert Association. The artists were the renowned Emerson String Quartet, and I was pretty sure that I would enjoy the Schubert and Brahms they planned to play.
But Shostakovich was also on the programme. I “knew” that I would not like his music, having been raised in a musical generation which scorned the “esses” (Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Strindberg and Schoenberg).
The Quartet played Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 7. Boy oh boy, it was just great. It’s a dating, electrifying, sometimes funny piece. What a shocker! I enjoyed Shostakovich - something new.
“Now when you retire”, she said, “don’t even think of taking on any commitments for at least six months”.
The reason for her words was sound. So many Rectors have taken such pride in how busy they are in parish life, that they cannot bear retirement without being similarly busy.
I took the Bishop’s advice. I had little choice. I was so tired that could not take on any commitments for a year. They I was ready to re-enter.
You’ve read about my commitment to Resurrection House, the day shelter for homeless people in Sarasota. I have been volunteering there for seven months. I also “help out” a bit at St. David’s, Englewood where the Rector, Arthur Lee, has been more than generous in sharing pulpit and altar.
But as I began to truly relax in retirement I was also aware of a warning given me by a Psychologist, in 2004. She noted that my “identity” was deeply intertwined with my priesthood and ministry. She wondered aloud if I would “die on the vine” in retirement with no “Church” to sustain my sense and appreciation of who I am.
I knew that she was on to something.
Last year I joined the Historical Society of Sarasota County. Their meetings have included some enriching lectures, about which more.
I’ve also subscribed to the Sarasota Concert Association’s 2008 season - a bargain with five first class concerts on the slate for $120, and to the 2008 season of the Sarasota Opera (a wee bit more expensive!). Classical music has always been at the heart of my spiritual and emotional life, but I never took time to attend concerts because I was “too busy”.
I’ve been aware of Sarasota’s deep history of Circus (in fact without Circus there would not have been a Sarasota as we know it). But I knew very little about the history of Circus here. Last evening (Jan 15th) I enjoyed a Historical Society lecture about the Circus, given by Pedro Reis and Dolly Jacobs, founders of Circus Sarasota. I’d seen the Circus Sarasota tent, but had imagined that it was some rinky-dink outfit. Was I wrong! I learned so much new about something old. I was enthralled.
Dolly is a native Sarasotian. She is a daughter of the late and great clown Lou Jacobs. Pedro hails from South Africa. He quit school in the 12th grade so that be could “run away and join the circus”.
Their passion for circus as art, as theatre, as hard won skill was contagious.
Their commitment to community service is outstanding. I plan to attend Circus Sarasota this February or March. Read more about them at
http://www.circussarasota.org/History.cfm
Monday last I attended the first 2008 event of the Concert Association. The artists were the renowned Emerson String Quartet, and I was pretty sure that I would enjoy the Schubert and Brahms they planned to play.
But Shostakovich was also on the programme. I “knew” that I would not like his music, having been raised in a musical generation which scorned the “esses” (Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Strindberg and Schoenberg).
The Quartet played Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 7. Boy oh boy, it was just great. It’s a dating, electrifying, sometimes funny piece. What a shocker! I enjoyed Shostakovich - something new.
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