February 7th 2009

    Of the many nuances in 'venerable' the one I cleave to is described this way; "impressive by reason of age" or at least "conveying an impression of aged goodness and benevolence."  Nor in my sense of 'venerable' do I find the word 'wise'.  'Doddering' perhaps, but not 'wise'.

    Nonetheless upon this day, some years ago, I was born not far from the equator in Kenya.  Which is quite a long way from Kentucky.  I was apparently 'polite', because I 'arrived' after lunch and before 'tea'.  Had I been born in Kentucky I would have arrived before breakfast, in which case, I suspect, the ritual recollection of these things would not have included the word 'polite'.

    Both nature and nurture placed my star in a part of the Southern hemisphere that has in the memory of mankind not experienced winter.  Nor could I have looked into the constellations and seen Aquarius with great clarity.  He would have been on his annual visit to the Inuit, so his influence on me remains minor.

    On the 7th of February 1965 George Harrison had his tonsils removed.  On the 7th of February 1921 Kropotkin died.  And on February 7th 1952 the current Mayor of Denver Colorado was born.

    Odd what remains in the memory when I rarely recall what it was that I did yesterday.  Which, in the end, could well be the best definition of 'venerable'.

Previous  Next