Somehow I lost today's post. Fortunately there are a couple of guest blogs on deck! Today's guest blogger (C) has written a good number of times for Adam's Ale and never fails to satisfy! Thank goodness she was in the mood to send something in! Enjoy!
When I
was in my early twenties I had a favorite rock band, and through a weird twist of circumstances I met them. They came to Cleveland frequently during their tour, and I was always their guest when they were in town. I loved the attention - the lead singer sang to me at one of his shows and my friends thought I was too cool for words. But eventually the tour ended, and frankly all I ever did was drink their liquor and smoke their cigarettes (I was certainly no groupie) so I'm sure their interest in me was waning.
was in my early twenties I had a favorite rock band, and through a weird twist of circumstances I met them. They came to Cleveland frequently during their tour, and I was always their guest when they were in town. I loved the attention - the lead singer sang to me at one of his shows and my friends thought I was too cool for words. But eventually the tour ended, and frankly all I ever did was drink their liquor and smoke their cigarettes (I was certainly no groupie) so I'm sure their interest in me was waning. I went through a horrible spiritual darkness shortly after that. One of the questions I was trying to answer was, "When I'm 50, what am I going to say my life was about?" I finally decided I want only one thing: to get myself to heaven, and get as many people as possible to go with me. I had a special devotion to Divine Mercy, so I decided that every day at 3:00 PM I would pray for someone different. The list got very long, and I was running out of ideas of who to pray for, and I thought, hey, what about the guys in that band? At first I objected because in my mind they were somehow not really people, and they were probably hopeless (a heavy metal band - some of their lyrics would curl your hair). But they made the list.
Some commenters on this blog have pointed out their sympathy for rock stars who have died tragic deaths. Their stories ARE tragic! Kurt Cobain was a sweet happy child until his parents divorced, and his bitterness ended in suicide. Anthony Kedis of the Red Hot Chil
i Peppers had a drug dealer for a dad who bought Anthony hookers when he was 12 years old. Good and evil effect everyone. I think we neglect certain souls because they seem non-human somehow. Did you ever notice how it seems OK for people to lust over a celebrity, even if they're married, because somehow we think, well they're not really a PERSON. Maybe that crazy YouTube guy with the eyeliner was on to something, crying over Britney Spears, "She's a HUMAN BEING!" (OK, maybe he's just a freak, but you get my point.)
i Peppers had a drug dealer for a dad who bought Anthony hookers when he was 12 years old. Good and evil effect everyone. I think we neglect certain souls because they seem non-human somehow. Did you ever notice how it seems OK for people to lust over a celebrity, even if they're married, because somehow we think, well they're not really a PERSON. Maybe that crazy YouTube guy with the eyeliner was on to something, crying over Britney Spears, "She's a HUMAN BEING!" (OK, maybe he's just a freak, but you get my point.) We delude ourselves that there are people beyond prayer. I think part of the reason why people loved Ozzy Osborne's reality show is because you got to see glimmers of humanity, weakness, and even kindness in someone that we all assume was evil at worst and inhuman at best. A friend of mine had a short-lived relationship years ago with a charming guy who manipulated her, lied to her, and played with her head. He called her recently to tell her that he had quit drugs and alcohol and that he just wanted to say he was sorry. I asked her, didn't you think he was just a hopelessly evil person, and she emphatically answered yes! I suppose on the flip side of that, priests and nuns don't get prayed for because they are thought to be untarnishably good.
I was watching P
BS a couple of years ago. It was December and they were playing a concert of Christmas music by a rock band. I was looking at the guys playing and suddenly I said "John? Chris? Hey, these are my guys from that metal band! They do CHRISTMAS music now!?" Now I know that doesn't make them saints, but compared to the stuff they USED to do, it is a VAST improvement.
BS a couple of years ago. It was December and they were playing a concert of Christmas music by a rock band. I was looking at the guys playing and suddenly I said "John? Chris? Hey, these are my guys from that metal band! They do CHRISTMAS music now!?" Now I know that doesn't make them saints, but compared to the stuff they USED to do, it is a VAST improvement.
4 comments:
C, great post.
And you're right on so many counts. Oh, and when I was in high school, I thought I was cool because I got to hang out at jam sessions of a local band, "Smoke". And I was "in love" with the lead guitar player who was also lead singer. I can't even remember his name now.
Anyway, I also think you're right about the celebrities; they are completely depersonalized by the vultures who report on their every move, and then all of us who may watch, comment, etc. And they ARE human beings...living that kind of life. It's no surprise they end up the way they do, and they do need prayer. I really wonder how many people are praying for them...any?
And the last thing...about prayer for priests & religious...yup. I don't think they were ever included in my prayers growing up, and of course, I had the impression they were so holy they didn't need prayers. We prayed for people who were mere mortals like us. EVERYONE needs prayer!
I pray for celebrities. There but for the grace of God (and similar talent or looks) go any of us. And I pray for priests, because I have seen evil working in one that I loved with 3/4 of my soul. And still do. But you know, this is astonishing: I've never prayed for the Religious. Always thought they had it all together. But of course, especially anyone who has committed all his/her love/future to God would be under siege from temptations not even of their own weakness. What a great insight.
Poor Kurt. And his poor silly wife, Courtney, and their Frances Bean. Yes, Britney's human, and even Courtney crawled into Kurt's mother's bed absolutely broken in grief. I was not a groupie, but I have dated musicians. lol, the older one gets, the more everyone seems like a grandchild instead of dazzling..but for sure, everyone's human.
Even seemingly evil politicians.
It's an us-thing, prayer.
(Carol)
are you talking about the Trans-Siberian Orchestra?
Yes, it was the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I remember in my late twenties looking back on those days and thinking what a bunch of goofs. I can't believe I listened to that drek. They'll never amount to anything! Ha!
My point of that post was that we should pray for the ridiculous (like for a metal band to find a more wholesome career) because we just might get it!
C.K.
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