Haddock

 

For many decades I have greatly enjoyed the European comic " The Adventures of Tintin".  The image above is of my two favorite characters from this comic, Captain Haddock, and the dog, Snowy.  

Captain Haddock is a very good rendition of the classic character of a fellow who is both faulty and yet attempts to be heroic.  He has various foibles and yet tries to do the right thing.  He also is known to vehemently "cuss" when angry in variety of creative and comic-friendly ways (i.e.  "That hurt more than billions of bilious blue blistering barnacles!!").    The Captain Haddock character also reminds me of two other characters that are also much to my liking.... "Watson" especially as played by Nigel Bruce, and .... the musical theater version of "Don Quixote".  I feel a bit of a kinship to these characters because, even though I am quite well aware of my many, many shortcomings and foibles, I also do know that I do also strive to try to be and become a better person.  

While I was running at 5:30am this morning (I ran 9.8 miles (~16 km)), I was able to watch yesterday's (Thursday's) Morning Mass from the Capuchin's Province I have been so fortunate to find having on-line recordings of their services.  I have four priests of the several there that I especially enjoy  for me to see conducting Mass (even though all are good).  And today, one of those four, Fr. Dan, was the Celebrant, so I was quite pleased.  The Gospel was the story comparing and contrasting the Rich Man who did nothing with his wealth except enjoy life with the Poor Man, Lazarus.  Fr. Dan, very eloquently discussed in his Homily (far more astutely than I can put down here) about how we are called to be better people, and not be like the Rich Man.... simply decide that other's problems and difficulties "Are not my fault!" or "I didn't cause this!".... but instead that we are called to use the fortunate things we do have to work hard and to try to use these gifts in ways to help others and to help to do good for our community. 

I can and sometimes *do* this sort of good work in my classroom.  I try to be a robust, engaging, and guiding teacher.  I do try to do this in trying to discover new knowledge in my research.  I do try to do this in my community service.  But there is so very much more I *could* do, that I am either too lazy, or too self-centered, or just too stubborn and do not do.  I think this idea of working to do good.... to do more... to do BETTER actually meshes well with the one (very difficult) Lenten vow I have set for myself this Lent.  As you may recall, I have been striving to forgive the two folks who hurt me, so, so very deeply.  I am nowhere near where I should be yet, but I have had two opportunities thus far where I have been  cordial to the person who hurt me the most, and one opportunity where I was even a bit on the friendly side to the other person who hurt me.  Minor inroads at progress, but at least my trajectory is in the right direction.    But, in truth, there is so much more beyond this Lenten vow that I could and should do to become a better person in so many areas of my life.  Fr. Dan has given me a lot to think about.  

I have still been replaying that damn silly video I made of myself.  I find it both humorous and also odd how watching that little snippet of video makes me smile.  Watching it gives me a bit of contentment of sorts, for I guess it "feels" like I am seeing ME again in some way.  I, of course, still very much *want* to smoke my pipes.  But, until I can figure out IF that is legitimately possible for me, and if it is possible, how to do so in an appropriate way.... it does provide a modicum of happiness. 

PipeTobacco