29 MARCH 2015
SISTER MARY SHELLEY AND CREW filled my head full of images during the nine years of my parochial grammar school education. Detailed verbal descriptions sometimes supported by illustrated visuals gave places like Heaven and Hell a look that I could with my young artistic sensibility always see. I remember the almost weather-map icon symbols for Heaven (clouds), Purgatory (clouds with small flames) and Hell (fire). I think I always figured I'd have to do some time in Purgatory. That I'd never be up to snuff to just enter the Pearly Gates. Some "small flames" burn time was going to be a necessary step in that process.
Now, I can't imagine what it's like to burn all the time like they do in Hell. Just because I really I can't image it. My burn experience has usually ended quickly with an OUCH! and a resulting blister. I suppose, a sunburn would be the closest comparison I could come up with. Maybe one of the reasons I've always sort of seen a packed beach as a sort of Hell-all them white people just cooking on the hot sand.
One of the side effects of the chemotherapy I'm going through is a rash. And lately that rash has quite an itch associated with it-especially at nighttime. Now, that I could see as Hell.
