These were 5 words I remember from my teen years. They were only said once but they became a memorable sentence over which I have laughed ever since. I was reminded of them over the weekend when I told Stacey the story. It all begins with my Dad.
My Dad was pretty eccentric. He was always searching for the meaning of life and his spiritual journey took him through some rather interesting religions. One of my earliest memories was of he and my Mom going to Theosophical Society meetings. I also remember him befriending an Eastern religion Swami whose framed photo hung on our dining room wall for many years. Then it was onto the Liberal Catholic Church, for whom he became a fully ordained priest. He was the only one in Harare and the congregation was exceptionally small. When my brother and I reluctantly went to his services, (often almost kicking and screaming), we swelled the congregation to 6. I was tasked with the important role of bell-ringer. There were small altar bells which had to be rung at a couple of significant places in the service. Twice during the liturgy, I struck the little bell three times with a short rod. “Ding! Ding! Ding!” they went.
It was in about 1978 when we made the long drive from Harare to South Africa. I don’t recall much of the Johannesburg bit, but I do remember that as it was a Sunday, Dad looked up the Jo’burg branch of the Liberal Catholic Church. It was held in a small hotel meeting room. The congregation was only slightly bigger than that of my Dad’s….perhaps there were ten of us. We were duly introduced to the Priest and my Dad eagerly offered my services as bell-ringer for the morning. I was handed a set of bells that were certainly different to the ones back home. The bell I was used to, you hit it once and it rang once. It was not complicated. The bells presented to me in Johannesburg were more elaborate and had a few more chimes hanging down from bells on a longer chain. How hard could it be I nervously wondered? I’ll just do what I do back home.
At the designated time, I took the little rod and firmly struck the bells. Oh dear, perhaps I was a tad too enthusiastic. Instead of ringing just once, the bells seem to take on a life of their own. The hollow metal cups clobbered against each other causing the inner clappers to ring incessantly for several moments! You had to hit them three times, so you can imagine the medley of uncontrolled chimes reverberating through the silence of the room.
It was at that moment that the lady behind me spoke up:
“Take them away from her,” she charged.
Well, there was no need. Bells have a habit of stopping and in due course they did. The service continued and I was exceedingly cautious when I had to hit them again. Nervous as anything, I tapped them gently and managed to prevent a repetition of the first musical interlude.
It was difficult after that not to disintegrate into peels of laughter.
Fortunately, after the service, I never had to see any of those parishioners again. My life as bell-ringer in chief was not to be one that I would cherish and it was with great relief when the congregation dwindled to the point of the services being discontinued.
My wonderful Dad soon became Greek Orthodox and remained as such until his death almost ten years ago. Fully saved he was, yet his spiritual journey was far from straight forward.
Despite his idiosyncrasies, my Dad gave me three vitally important gifts. I often attribute the excellent relationship I have with Mike to them as they became the characteristics I was looking for in my future husband. 1. My Dad loved me unconditionally. He didn’t say it much, but I know he did. 2. My Dad accepted me unconditionally and 3. He trusted me. Love, acceptance and trust. I certainly got those in the man I married. This is my Dad on my wedding day…
Today has been a quiet day. As it’s been a little cold, I worked from the warmth of my bed. Lovely to have the rain. A special thing about today – Elsie is 4 weeks old. 🙂
#694 of my 1000 thanks is for SPORCLE! I love extending my general knowledge on that website.
Proverbs 3:35
The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the legacy of fools.
Be wise.
These are the days.
Keep the smile going.
God bless you.
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂
Gym:
- Fast walk – 3km – 27 minutes
- The Grid – my heart rate was 140 at the end of it – 30 minutes.
- Cycle – 3 minute cool down.