Friday, May 29th, 2020. 1:44 AM.
It Is May and August’s Thoughts Are Turning to Thoughts of Love
Greetings April!
I was just thinking of you at 12:46 AM, May 14th, 2020.
By the way, this is the anniversary of the birth of the State of Israel in 1948.
Of course, you and I were not even born yet – not for 3 and 4 years, respectively.
And I do respect you, April!
Lady April
April: “I know that, August.”
August: “Changing the subject, April: I read an obituary in The Valley Breeze that is important to me, late last night.”
April: “Oh? Whose was it, August?”
August: “A very good childhood friend of mine. We both lived in the Sweet Avenue neighborhood and spent many summer days together being friends.”
April: “Oh . . .”
August: “And you know what else, April?”
April: “Why don’t you tell me what else, August?”
August: “I love you, April. You are so beautiful to me.”
“Joe Cocker – You Are so Beautiful (lyrics)”
August: “Many years ago, I saw Charley’s name in the Woonsocket telephone directory. He had an address on Glen Road, at the time. I don’t know which house it was.”
April: “What a coincidence, August.”
August: “Yes, April. I knew five people who lived on that beautiful and quiet residential road during my life: Lee L., April O’, Dr. Dashef, John C., and Charley D.”
August: “Did you ever check out my blog, April?”
April: “You have a blog, August?”
August: “Yes, April. I believe I sent the address to you in a letter; although it’s possible that I never sent the letter to you. I’m not sure. I have another very long letter that I wrote to you – maybe a year ago that I still have in an 8-1/2 x 11-inch white envelope with about 6 or 7 artist stamps on the front. It is 8 typed pages long. I forgot the artist’s name. Would you like to receive it, April? By the way, my blog address is: https://marksimaginings.com/
August: “I have a nice memory of you, April, in our 8th-grade classroom with Sister William Mary. Do you remember those days, April? I had just given a report before our class – public speaking always gave me intense anxiety – including anticipation anxiety for days ahead of the talk. It was either a report about Chung-Kai-Shek — or a report about German U-Boats during World War Two. And when I returned to my desk chair in the second row, April, you turned to me from your first row seat and confided to me something like: “You did that very well, August.” I will always remember your kind word to me that day, April. Thank you very much.”
August
Monday Evening May 25th, 2020
A Few Memories of Our Time at St. Charles School, April:
In Sister Mary Bertha’s 6th grade class, John S. brought his accordion to school and performed before the class.
In 7th grade April, you did a ballet performance before Sister Miriam-Ann’s class. That is the only live ballet performance I have ever seen. I believe you wore black tights. I can’t remember what music accompanied your performance. It would have been an even more memorable performance, April, if you had danced with someone.”
April: “Did you know how to ballet, August?”
August: “I didn’t, April; but, if you had danced over to my desk and put your lovely young lady’s hand on my shoulder and said, “My dear boy: Come and dance with me. Be my partner and I will teach you the way of grace in motion, my dear one.” I would have risen to the Love in your lovely lady’s voice and danced with you. And even if I couldn’t ballet, you might have just put your arms around your dear one and held him close; and maybe someone would have changed the music to a slow love song; and we could have shown the whole class how to just fall into the power of love with a lovely lady.”
Nat King Cole – When I Fall In Love (with lyrics)
Fly me to the moon- Nat King Cole
Up Where We Belong + Joe Cocker/Jennifer Warnes + Lyrics/HQ
Also in 7th grade, several students were selected to engage in a formal debate. Wish I could remember what they debated.
April, remember the May Procession we had each May at St. Charles School? Wasn’t that a lovely thing? And May was such a beautiful time of the school year! And it was exciting to me to experience how we were getting closer and closer to the end of the school year – and the beginning of summer vacation. It did get quite warm in our classroom, though! And during the last few days of school we divested our uniforms and wore casual clothes to school.
And remember going to choir practice in church each Friday?
I remember one hymn we sang: Gloria
Andrea Bocelli Gloria in Excelsis Deo
April, I wonder if you have any memories of St. Charles School and Church that you would love to write about? Or, if there is anything else that you would love to write to me about, you are most welcome, April. I’d love to hear from thee, O Lovely Lady.
Or, if you prefer not to write, I wonder if you might like to call me and talk to me about anything. I confess that I may not be as talkative as I am in writing. Maybe, I would mostly listen; and then meditate on what you confide to me; and, maybe, write to you the thoughts of my heart about what you say to me – in a loving and kind way confiding in you, Lady. I would like to practice love and kindness and loving kindness with you, April. Maybe you can teach me how to do that. Maybe I’m ready to be more amenable to learning from a lady about loveliness. Wouldn’t that be a beautiful theme for a friendship with a lady: “Love and Kindness and Loving Kindness Between a Lady and Her Man” — in God’s Eternal Love? I would not mind spending Eternity practicing such a lovely lesson with a lovely lady.
Mary Black – The Dimming of the Day
April: “And why is this subject important to you, August?”
August: “April, isn’t love the most wonderful thing there is?”
April: “I don’t know, August. Is it?”
August: “I believe it is, April. And I imagine it is, too. And so many song writers write songs about love. And the songs sound and feel so lovely to hear. There must be something very beautiful about Love. And there is a love song that sounds very beautiful to me, April.”
April: “What is the name of this love song that you find so beautiful, August?”
August: “The Power of Love.” Jennifer Rush’s version is my favorite; however, every version of this song is beautiful. There was also a version by The Shadows that I really liked; however, I can’t find it on YouTube anymore.”
April: “And what about love stories? And movies about love? And poetry about love?”
August: “Yes, April, those are also beautiful ways that people in love express their Love. And there is also walking in love. And speaking in love. And listening in love. And writing in love. And thinking in love. And imagining in love. And dreaming in love. And sleeping in love. And just being in love. And marrying in love, if it be God’s will.”
April: “And dancing in love. And just holding hands in love. And just being in the same room with someone in love – and enjoying the beloved’s presence in love. And living in love. It will take a lot of practice, August.”
August: “April, I can’t imagine anything else that we could practice that would be such a joy to learn and do than loving you.”
Even waiting in Love is a lovely thing to do.
And there is also suffering in love.
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” -Romans 5:1-5. NIV Study Bible.
April: “Have we waited long enough, August?”
August: “Yes, Lady Love. We have waited long enough.”
April: “So then, what now?”
August: “Maybe it’s time for me to let Lady Love lead the way.”
April: “And how could she do that?”
August: “Can Lady Love hear the Lord her God speaking to her heart by His Spirit?”
Mary Black – The Dimming of the Day
Tuesday Afternoon. May 26, 2020.
August: “April, I was just imagining a conversation with you concerning a friendship between us. And it went like this:
April: “August, what is it that you’re looking for in a friendship between us?”
August: “Someone to correspond with.”
April: “And what do you mean by someone to correspond with?”
August: “Someone to write to and hear back from her.”
April: “And is that all you are seeking from me, August?”
August: “No.”
April: “What else are you seeking with me in friendship, August?”
August: “I seek with you, Lady April, the Lady Love of our Lord God. And I wonder if I would feel much better, April, if I told you that I love you every day — and many times a day — and every time I see you confess my love to you. Could it be that all that is wrong is this: keeping my love for you a secret? Captain Kirk said, “A little confession is good for the soul.” Maybe there is a reservoir of love for you, April, that needs to be given to you, that needs to become a river of love that flows to thee every day, Lady Love. And it is my need to confide in you, my Lady, every day, that I love you — or else I suffer alone in this love for you, this Love of God for you, April.”
August: “April, I’m feeling a bit uncomfortable with your questions.”
April: “Why, August?”
August: “Well, it feels like I’m being formally interviewed; and that my answers to your questions will be used as a basis for the friendship – as if friendship were something that could be requested by filling-out an order form into a computer database and . . . voila . . . here is what you ordered, and this is what you get – nothing more and nothing less. April, that may be how things work in the business world; however, we are not destined to be businesspeople; we are not to follow the world’s business model way of living and being.”
April: “Well then, Who are we to follow, August?”
August: “We ought to follow the Good Shepherd, Who is also the King of the Kingdom of God — not a worldly-minded business-oriented supervisor. And our Lord God’s Way is not at all according to man’s ways.”
April: “Oh . . . and how is His Way?”
August: “Well, He teaches us His Way through His Word, the Holy Scriptures; and by speaking to our hearts by His Holy Spirit – if we truly believe in Him and receive Him into our hearts – where He may begin to grow in us, Spiritually, as He grew in the womb of Mary, His mother; and eventually, if we faithfully nurture Him in our hearts, then He will attain in us to the full stature of the glory of God in us – by the Helper, His Holy Spirit, Whom Jesus told us about in the gospel of John in chapters 14 through 17.”
Ephesians
John 14-17. NIV.
April: “Well, I don’t know that Way.”
August: “Those who don’t know His Way, are under the influence of “the god of this age.” And that one’s spiritual influence over all unbelievers is by the spirit of error, the spirit of falsehood, the spirit of hypocrisy; by which spirit he leads astray all those who do not receive the love of the truth, but take pleasure in unrighteousness, instead. God’s Word is the truth. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of truth and the gospel of God. And we can see and understand by the Light of Christ and the Helper, His Holy Spirit, that the world is in error and that it lies in wickedness.”
August: “April: Come and learn and understand and believe in God’s Way.”
“The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” -Revelation 22:17. NIV.
John 4
As the Deer (with lyrics) – best heartwarming version
Mark's Imaginings 