Monday, October 08, 2007

Another random blundering of a tangled autumn night




In the late 80's, my stepmother used listen to K-Earth 101, which is (or at least used to be) an oldie's radio station while driving me to morning daycare. The YMCA bus driver also used to listen to this station as she'd drive to our elementary school. I blame these two people for my inability to pass the rice paddies by my house without my inner brain radio blasting The Byrds' 1965 hit single "Turn, turn, turn".

Mind you, throughout the lyrics, there is no mention of rice fields, or persimmon trees buried in ready and rotting fruit. It says nothing of riding on a scratched up 1 speed bicycle in the perfect 72 degree afternoon autumn breeze, breathing in the slight scent of burning foliage, hearing children run under the blue, pink and purple skies that paint the scenes of a small Japanese farming town.

It isn't the song, nor the Ecclesiastes' quote from the bible upon which it is based, that says any of that. It is my brain. Or rather, the teachings of religion classes during grades 6-12 spent in various Catholic schools, that now has made autumn and harvest synonomous with this little verse.

Now, it's not a particularly bad or annoying thing that this happens, it's just something that I wish I could turn off. It's not that I hate my religious upbringing, it's just that I wish I could turn it off. A couple of days ago, I posted a little blurb making fun of some aspects of Christianity. I wondered about who this might offend. My father? Perhaps. My grandmother? Definitely. My godmother? Fo sho.

Although I don't blame anyone for taking offense, I do wonder why. I wonder why guilt over things that deserve no ill feelings is the core of a religion that preaches love and forgiveness. I've been loved and forgiven, but I still sing stupid songs that remind me of a time when I was made to feel guilty about things as natural as the seasons.

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