Today is Ash Wednesday. I don't practice the Catholic faith but am well aware of the significance of the holiday. It's all about penance. At least that is what it used to be as it was explained to me. The whole ashes on your forehead to remind you that from the dust you came and to the dust you will return thing. I remember seeing the other kids in school having those ashes on their forehead and the adults as we went about our day. Now it only happens once a year, but I haven't noticed that practice as much as in years past. I don't know, maybe that traditional act is losing favor in the more modern church. A lot of things have changed with the Catholic church and with the other denominations as well. But I admit I'm not up on all of that as I rarely attend services anymore. No particular reason, I just don't.
Today is also Valentines Day. I've been hearing an awful lot about that but haven't heard any mention of Ash Wednesday on the morning news as of yet. I also haven't heard anything about Mardi Gras. I had forgotten about that until my wife mentioned it this morning. Fat Tuesday was yesterday. I must have missed the news stories on that as well. Ash Wednesday and Valentines Day coinciding is a rather rare occurrence. The last time was in 2018. There is also the feast of St. Valentine. That celebrates the Martyrdom of a monk named Valentine. Lots of debate about who he really was, there are several Valentine candidates, but none have any association with being a big romantic. All that came later on. Cupid, arrows, candy and love. Lots of money to made off of all of that. Experts say about one hundred dollars each will be spent on Valentines totaling over 14 billion dollars.
I don't what the kids in elementary school do these days in regard to Valentines day. I would expect a lot of that has changed. In my day it was expected that the boys would be giving valentines to the girls. Today I'm not sure about that at all. I remember making an envelope that was taped to the front of my desk. That was where the valentines went that were given to me. We got to look at them when we had our "party." Some guys and girls got a lot, some not so much. I don't really remember how many or how few I got, I wasn't traumatized, marginalized or suffer from deep depressive feelings either way. None of that was a concern! There was candy, cake, peanuts, gluten and everything else that may trigger an allergic reaction. I don't remember that ever happening though. I just remember kool-aid being spilled and frosting getting on my papers.
I was watching the news and listening to all the reports of violence and crime. Lots of talk about the juvenile offenders and the need to rehabilitate them. The experts all saying we shouldn't incarcerate or punish those kids but rather rehabilitate them. They just need a good talking to! What they are really trying to say is we need to start "raising" our children right. What they don't want to say is, that starts with discipline. But it is the same old story over and over. Not to worry they are formulating a new crime plan.
Then came the medical reporter. She is a doctor that talks about medical issues every day. Could be about most anything and I find it informative, if not a bit biased at times. But in a sign of the times, and in keeping with the Valentines Day theme, the expose was about penile fractures! Yes, it was explained a study had been conducted and the incidence of penile fracture is greatest on Valentines Day. The report went on to explain all about that particular injury. There was a warning issued before that piece aired saying you might not want the kids to see that. I had to chuckle about that given what they are teaching the kids in kindergarten these days. I just had to sigh and shake my head. Penile fractures, really? Well, Happy Valentines Day, be careful out there all sorts of hazards to be aware of. From dust you came and to the dust you shall return. It's a warning.
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