Quakers are my kind of people
Yesterday I went to the Charleston Friends Meeting -- i.e. the Quaker worship service here in Charleston. I was struck by just how well I fit in with these people; I'm actually inclined to think that at that Meeting, the term "eccentric" probably wouldn't accurately describe me. Compared to most Americans, I'm pretty unusual (maybe bordering on strange at times), but compared to the Quakers at this Meeting I think I'm pretty normal. Here's a glimpse of what I mean:
There were 5 people at the Meeting, plus myself and pianojet (who happened also to be in town this weekend). And in that group,
A lot of y'all may think I'm kind of a crazy guy... and maybe I am (or maybe I've just gotten used to the idea that I seem so to other people)... but more and more I realize that a lot of my "crazy" stuff really isn't that crazy. If you will allow me a moment of conceit, most of it's certainly a lot less "crazy" than Galileo's ridiculous proposal that the Earth orbits the Sun. ;-) Don't roll your eyes, you know it's true.
There were 5 people at the Meeting, plus myself and pianojet (who happened also to be in town this weekend). And in that group,
- one man has been commuting to work on his bike for 8 years (and he proudly refers to riding his bike as "causing traffic jams"), despite being old enough that his salt-and-pepper hair and beard seemed more grey than not
- another man (who is equally greyed) went on a 2-day biking trip last weekend with a few family members, and was planning on biking around Kanawha City later that day
- another man just got laid off from his job in social work (the agency experienced budget cuts) which is disappointing to him, but which excites him because now he can spend the next few months concentrating on political activism leading up to the elections. It also came up that his brother is a member of an intentional community in VA that practices sustainable agriculture, and (in this guy's opinion) they've been doing it long enough that "they really have it down" -- and on top of that this same man (not his brother) lives on the remnants of what used to be a commune, with the land still in Trust
- a woman I knew when I was in high school (but who I didn't know was Quaker) and who home-schools her very bright children (I took AP Calculus in 10th grade, which was pretty early -- but her son came to my HS to take it while he was in 9th grade; he and I did more than a couple math competitions together) offered that any of us could stop by her house while she and her family are on vacation to pick all the fresh raspberries we want, since it seems they will be coming ripe while she's not around (and mentioned a couple other things we could help ourselves to from her garden)
- at some point in the conversation, the 5th person mentioned a $.45 gasoline tax in a favorable context
A lot of y'all may think I'm kind of a crazy guy... and maybe I am (or maybe I've just gotten used to the idea that I seem so to other people)... but more and more I realize that a lot of my "crazy" stuff really isn't that crazy. If you will allow me a moment of conceit, most of it's certainly a lot less "crazy" than Galileo's ridiculous proposal that the Earth orbits the Sun. ;-) Don't roll your eyes, you know it's true.