Close to the Edge 2009

Karla's friend brought two friends from Cinci to stay with us this weekend. They had tickets to see U2 at Soldier Field. Our football field. The first of two nights.

The world acted like a spaceship had landed in Chicago.











Next thing you know, the Edge said hello. Or potato. Or something like that with a couple of strings on an expensive guitar.

He saw Karla and said like an Irishman might say, I play guitar, right? Why not stop backstage after the show?

Little did she know that backstage meant meant Io. The moon. U2, in fact, was from Jupiter.










And all this happened, you see, while I was at temple. On a Saturday night. Near midnight. S'lichot, it's called--the post-Shabbat, pre-Rosh Hashanah holiday, identifying my sins, confessing them, then requesting forgiveness.

I'd never done this before. As a holiday, I mean.

But I did cuz this was like prep work to get written in the Book of Life. For another Year. Another Good Year.

And I'm glad I went. Papa's spirit smiled. And I learned something. Rabbi Doug said: The O.T. God is not like Jesus. He/she doesn't love everyone all the time. You have to keep praying. You have to keep knocking at the door. You have to keep ringing the bell. And then god has no choice. God's love is like gravity.

Look, I know none of this is making any sense right now. But that's where meditation comes in. And that's why I ought to do it every day. Focus on why. Focus on life. Focus on love.