Carl Setzer

Just posted this on Medium:  Upon The Horizon . Quite pleased with this one. Came to me during my walk this evening. It was good to be able to walk today. Last week, I wrenched my right arm and back at the gym. Rather intense pain drove me home from work early on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Saturday was spent planted firmly upon the couch. Sunday was punctuated by vertigo, leading me to a walk-in clinic, several appointments early in the week, a sinus infection diagnosis, and a battery of medications. Now I'm feeling more pain-free, and dizziness-free. Satisfying progress, though incomplete. Shortly, I'll be consuming my next blast of pain meds and drift off to sleep. Looking forward to the next day, this Friday approaching.

Recently, one of my friends was given the following request: stay away from our church until he could be/act "more Christian". Gads, such statements frustrate me. Really, what is that supposed to mean? I expect this is about being more cheerful, dopey happy, carefree nonsense. Bleh! People of faith wrestle with pain, sadness, depression, anger and anguish. God meets us where we are, not in this fantasy la-la land. Yeah, we're supposed to be battering the world with our hammers of righteousness, rubbing those wretched sinners noses in how revolting we sanctimonious babblers find them. Bah, I say; refusing that path as empty and vacuous, ultimately destructive. I stand with the broken, the sinner, the struggling, as best as I'm able, for that's me, too. 

Shows today about priest rapists, about brutality in Egypt, North Korea, about myriad acts of horror all over the globe. I'm left to wonder if humanity can be redeemed? Can we stop this cycle of evil? I'm laden with doubt. Yet, within me, a kernel of hope. I see the words of journalists attempting to bring attention, to garner global pressure. There are the activists, often risking their lives, both in responding to the human need as well as to work against the monstrosity. Then there's the rising voice of public outrage, if for only a brief time. So much evil, so limited our ability to look. So easy to return our gaze to the pretty. I, too, become worn by continual viewing of the worst humanity has to offer. Yet I hope, somehow, by continuing to care, the world might change, if ever so slightly. And perhaps, someday, humanity's tendency to brutalize each other will finally be put to rest.

Sorry Mistook you For a sinner. Shall we Transfer your soul Into that rock? It shall feel More at Home.