Rain on Our Parade, Will You?

What do you do when you'd like to grumble, when you have no right to complain? I was all set to write a short piece about several of injustices currently in the news.

On the political left, the American Humanist Association complained about a local school that went to - gasp - a church to pack food for the  Feed my Children  program, a way to teach children about giving to others. The Association did not want innocent children exposed to a "theologically-charged" environment. Now I have been in many a church hall or basement where such activities occur, and if these are "theologically-charged," I am an insensitive lout for not noticing all the theology floating around in the air. These spaces have as much to do with theology as a school gym.

On the political right, people have voiced objections in a series of letters to the editor about the idea that children should be fed a hot lunch at school whether their families can afford the 40 cents a day or not. It seems schools around the state have been literally taking trays out of the hands of children - in front of other children and throwing the food in the trash - when the children do not have the money.As one person asked: why am I responsible for feeding my neighbors children - if they don't have the money, let them starve.

So much for the Golden Rule.And taking care of each other rather than hoarding one's little pot of gold. It's Scrooge all over again. A petty version of the growing disparity between those who have wealth and those who do not.

Then my husband discovered our water heater is leaking - on Valentine's Day no less. The water heater is over 17 years old, so who are we to complain. Because we are comfortable financially, the credit card takes care of the problem, just like that. And we have a brand-new water heater. No cold showers for us as we save up our pennies for a new one.

But it did not mean the two of us did not get to go out for lunch and make eyes at each other over the table.

So I felt like grumbling. Despite the fact that we had it replaced within hours of discovering the problem. Despite our having a warm and cozy home, when others have lost their homes due to foreclosure - with some of them now living on the streets. Despite our living in a place where war has not driven us into refugee camps to mourn the deaths of our families. Where the idea of a hot lunch for small children is beyond imagination.

But I still felt grumbly inside instead of gratitude.

How dare you rain on my Valentine's Day Parade! When I have so much for which to be thankful.