WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

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Contents

The Alpha, Alfie............................................3What Time Is It, Alfie?.....................................5Loving People, Alfie........................................8You Win Again, Alfie........................................9Why Not Marriage, Alfie?....................................11I Wonder Where Ray Is, Alfie?...............................13Thinking....................................................15Speaks For Itself, Alfie....................................16And You Too, Alfie..........................................19Not Anymore Today...........................................22Why Do Good People Suffer, Alfie?...........................24Why Be Sad, Alfie?..........................................26Just Thinking...............................................28The Winner Is Mommie, Michael...............................32It's Aunt Rodie, Alfie......................................35Peace Of Mind, Alfie........................................37You Will Be Heard, Alfie....................................42What's It All About?........................................44Music!......................................................49Author's Note — 12/12/89..............................50That's My Son...............................................51Her Way.....................................................52Raising A Family............................................55No Problem..................................................57"Shoes".....................................................58Denise......................................................59Until It's Time For You To Go...............................61A Ring Of Truth.............................................63Once, In Time, Alfie........................................65We Are All One..............................................67Divine Rock, Alfie..........................................69What Changes, Alfie?........................................71Receiving The Host, Alfie...................................72Back To The Rectory, Alfie..................................74Brand M, Alfie?.............................................77The Perfect Time To Begin, Alfie............................78Why Not Try, Alfie?.........................................81Hodge Podge, Alfie..........................................82The Day Off, Alfie..........................................85Casey Ann, 12/6/89..........................................87Change The Subject Or The Object, Alfie.....................88Thinking And Choosing, Alfie................................91The Best Plan Is In Effect, Alfie...........................93This Time, This Hour, Alfie.................................96Sumday Is Now, Alfie!.......................................98One Liner Away, Alfie.......................................99The Omega, Alfie............................................101Our Father, Alfie...........................................102Me Cry, Alfie?..............................................104

Chapter One

One early Sunday morning while sitting at Mass, with the wind whistling outside and a baby beginning to cry, the priest posed a question to think about during the week—WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? He gave us the answer—happiness. Then why should we have to think all week? But in the dull days of winter, after football and before baseball, it couldn't hurt—could it? But how do you think? To give us such a chore could ruin our stream of consciousness or our stream of actions which are giving us happiness anyway, aren't they? But why not try, Alfie.

Father is right, we are looking for happiness, but why can't we find it with our own intellect and will? Could it be because of what we choose? Maybe we need to ask the Supreme Intellect and Will, the person we call God, how to find happiness. What does He say? Of course, keep My Commandments, love one another! Maybe we have been looking for `instant happiness' and happiness really begins with peace of mind from keeping the Commandments and then loving others and even loving God instead of fear! If we look about us, we see people who are happy and have been happy for years. WHY ARE THEY HAPPY? Because they do the above and have a different attitude toward God, namely, complete Trust in Him! Let His Intellect and Will control things. Let prayer control my thinking and will—(is what they do).

But how do we change our attitude toward God, Alfie? Maybe if we recognize that He is a person who loves us, we can recognize His attitude toward us. Could it be that:

1. He is not waiting to point out our past mistakes?

2. He is not out to get us?

3. He wants us to smile?

4. He is pleased when we laugh? Does this mean he actually wants us to enjoy life? Didn't He create us to be sad? Well, Alfie, maybe it is time to look at things differently. THE ONLY THING THAT BECOMES REALLY IMPORTANT IS THE IMMEDIATE EVENT BEFORE US. As long as the next thing we do is not a choice of wrong or a thought of anxiety or some other useless pondering, we might really begin to enjoy things—the pool game, the Mass, the song, the laughter, the prayer (even the Rosary), the Bingo game, changing the diaper, the sunset, the Broadway show, the homerun, the conversation and even accepting the pain! And if we persist in meeting only the event before us, till death, we need not fear that moment, we need not panic, lest we miss finishing the pool game. And finally, (WAKE UP, ALFIE)—

We must realize that we are not competing with anybody, we must do the best we can and be content if others appear to be doing better. When we arrive at the correct `State of Mind', we can even use the word happy rather than content with what others are accomplishing. We are all on the same team.

We must proceed with confidence and as it takes years to be come a mature adult, maybe, someday, if we persist, we will be come a child! So Alfie, if we are looking for happiness, we look to the person who wants us to have it more than we do! And how do we begin—Alpha?

We begin by—OUR FATHER..........THY WILL BE DONE..........

WHAT TIME IS IT, ALFIE?

We forgot to change the clock. Do we set it an hour ahead or an hour behind? Alfie and I were both thinking, looking at the clock. The ticking seemed to cut the silence and the second hand kept moving, counting the minutes as it had done for so many years.

I wonder whatever happened to Brother Paulus, I thought? I'll never forget what he told us about the clock.

Imagine an empty room. An experiment. The clock is taken apart, piece by piece and scattered in every corner. The room is sealed. Several months go by and we return. The clock is sitting in the middle of the room ticking the correct time! How could this be? Let's consider all the possibilities we can think of. Chance, some kind of luck or unknown cause of this event. How about mice, or even ants who gathered all the pieces together and presto—or how about that storm we had—the pieces were blown together and combined with the heat in the room and the position of the moon—presto. We may never know the answer, because everybody has an idea. I got it, I think I heard somebody say, spontaneous combustion—that sounds good—make up anything and give it the old scientific jazz—any intellectual scientist can come up with something brilliant and explain it in profound terms, however, they need more study—it is still a mystery—a what?

But wait, Brother Paulus has an idea. He thinks that somehow, a watchmaker got into the room. Using his intellect and will, the watchmaker collected all the intricate parts of the clock, put them together and sat the clock in the middle of the room. Is he kidding? Nobody will buy that—it makes too much sense and besides it is too simple.

Brother Paulus changed the topic—or did he? Look at the sun, he said—the moon, the stars, a tree, a flower, the animals, the planets—a baby—look at the intricate parts of all these things! They are more complicated than a clock! As it takes an intellect and a will—the person of the watchmaker—to put a clock together—so too—it took a Supreme Intellect and will—the PERSON we call God—to put the Universe together!

But this also makes too much sense. Boy, could the intellectuals tear that argument apart. All they have to say is something about cosmic rays with such energy force (or whatever they say), that somehow, whatever it is, some type of super matter, produces a non-material intellect and a nonmaterial will. Whatever happened to—you can't give what you don't have? And if this super matter does have intellect and will to give—what are they going to call it? Make the truth fit your Subjective demand. Let any scientist explain it to you—the label scientist demands that we listen to the authority! Frankly, Scarlet!

And I am tired of the scientist and all those who don't do any thinking, scoffing at the Christian who says some things are a mystery. We are not blind faith! We combine faith and reason. Try it sometime! It's called true logic!

They can have their mysteries and I can have mine—but one of mine is not how the Universe got started. I'll take Brother Paulus and the logic of the clock anyday, even though the Person in control has some necessary rules. You don't have to worry about any rules of the Creator with any scientific belief or denial—or do you? Belief? How can any scientist (not all) criticize a man of faith—and have faith in their own belief? It is so easy for the scientist—who gets all the respect—to say to the man of faith—where is your proof? Well, it is just as easy for the man of Faith to say—where is your proof? His answer—we have a theory that we are fairly certain of but we need more time than the thousands of years we had—it is still something we can't fully understand and explain (in other words—a mystery). Tell em again, Brother Paulus. Am I being redundant? Well, Frankly Scarlet!

THE BOOK, has all the answers. It can say something quick without getting mad. I wish I could.

Someplace in THE BOOK, it says—in essence—Scientists in their analysis and review of the product—miss the Author!

Alfie was yelling the correct time from upstairs. I hadn't noticed him leaving the room. What time is it, Alfie?

LOVING PEOPLE, ALFIE

It was Sunday morning, and Alfie and I were not going to Church. For the first time, we went on Saturday night. Where is that paper boy? He always sleeps late on Sunday. Alfie came down the stairs and turned on the radio. It was my favorite singer. I went in the kitchen. Scrambled or over light, Alfie? Just toast came the reply? What a voice—not yours Alfie—but George Burns. The song doesn't make sense, Alfie said. I hadn't been listening to the words—"Using things and loving people is the way its got to be for loving things and using people just brings misery"—is what he was singing.

No Alfie, I said—when I heard the words—once you really hear them, they make a lot of sense. Just think of some things we use. We use money to buy what we want, we use drink to enjoy a party, we use a car to get where we are going, and we could go on and on. But if we are in love with the money—if we are in love with the drink—if we are in love with the car—we will not be happy and will not know why. Loving things never brings happiness, especially if we use people to get the things.

All of a sudden, George Burns sounded even better. Turn it up, Alfie, I said. His voice faded into the commercial—Loving people is the Way ...

YOU WIN AGAIN, ALFIE

T.V. is boring again. I got an idea, Alfie. I just bought a new Dictionary today. Let's open to a page at random, pick the first word we see, read the definition and then each give their opinion as to how the word relates to Life.

Remember that day, Alfie? I saved the first five words and wrote down the answers we gave. I can't believe we didn't cheat. The first word at random was—trawl—wouldn't ya know I said—a word we never heard of.

1. Trawl—a large net dragged along the bottom of a fishing bank.

I went for the obvious, the Apostles, fishers of men. But I liked your answer—the best way to catch Charlie Tuna.

2. Leash—a cord, strap etc. by which a dog or the like is held in check.

Your answer related to your walks with our dog, Crystal, and you were right, she carries her own leash so there are exceptions to this definition. Again, I went for the obvious and said it was something your mother thinks she has on me or is it something she does and I think she doesn't or something you kids think you have on both of us but you don't, at least we think you don't but maybe you do? Well, anyway—let's go to the next word.

3. Engage—to pledge (oneself), to bind by a promise of marriage.

I immediately had to look up the definition of pledge—the condition of being given or held as security for a contract, payment etc. This I understood—payment—and—held—back to leash again. So I said, down payment on the purchase of a leash. You went for the obvious on this one—your sisters getting engaged.

4. Masculine—Male, of men or boys—suitable to or having qualities regarded as characteristic of men; strong, vigorous, manly etc. (Yea!) Boy, am I glad we didn't get that other word. I presume it's in the dictionary since Webster can define any thing.

Your answer as to how it related to life was—Jim Rice, of the Boston Red Sox. I went for a joke since the other kind thinks that's what we are—"How many chauvinistic pigs does it take to clean a toilet? None, it's a woman's job!" (just kidding girls). Boy, am I glad Mommie wasn't in on that game, Alfie!

5. Step—a single movement of the foot, as in walking, the distance covered by such movement, a short distance, a rest for the foot in climbing, as a stair.

Your answer was the step unto the moon by the astronaut—"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

This was the best answer but I remember, at the time, going into a discourse on taking life one step at a time since it is a short distance to heaven and everything is passing with each step!

I went on and on and then I remember saying, Wake up! You win again, Alfie.

WHY NOT MARRIAGE, ALFIE?

Alfie was only eleven years old and his friend's sister was getting married. The couple had lived together for several years and decided to have a church wedding as their parents had always wanted. Alfie and his friends were talking in the living room as I was about to come downstairs. He knows more than I thought he knew! Could he really have remembered what I said to him at five days old when I held him in my arms? I told him all about "IT" then—just to get it over with. Maybe that Doctor is right—everything is retained in the subconscious. But wait a minute—as I continued to listen—that ain't the way I told him!

That evening, as we were about to play a game of chess, Alfie asked me why people had to get married. It was then that I told him I had overheard his friends talking about pleasure alone.

There is nothing wrong with pleasure, Alfie. When God created us, He made us the way we are and saw that it was good. But He never meant pleasure alone.

Once there were three sisters living in the country. Their names were plus, minus and zero. They never heard of and, therefore, never wore shoes. The big day was here—plus and minus were going to the city—zero was too young. Minus found out about shoes from a group of girls who wore the right shoe on the left foot and the left shoe on the right foot. Plus also found out about shoes but from girls who wore the right shoe on the right foot and the left shoe on the left foot.

Back at home, minus was very proud and wore her new shoes all the time, never admitting how they hurt. She bragged and showed zero.

One day, zero took the shoes of plus and plus watched as she stumbled and stumbled. Let me show you, plus said. Once zero had put the right shoe on the right foot and the left shoe on the left foot, she walked with ease, the way the shoemaker intended.

I am talking about—if the word will come out—SEX— there, I said it Alfie!

Zero = the person who knows nothing about Sex.

Minus = the person who thinks Sex is pleasure alone.

Plus = the person who learned about marriage—love and pleasure.

You see, Alfie, just as the shoemaker intended the right shoe for the right foot and the left shoe for the left foot—so, the Creator intended parents to have love and pleasure—to share in creation and continue the human race. But can't you have love and pleasure without marriage, Alfie asked? Of course you can, I replied. But in marriage you are taking a vow before God and asking His help to keep your relationship strong and not overcome by selfishness. So—why not marriage, Alfie?

I WONDER WHERE RAY IS, ALFIE?

Years ago, Alfie, when we were in the seventh grade, I think it was Sister Louise or Sister Eileen, well anyway, I am not making this up—Some Sister told us a story and the essence of it was—or still is—the same man who was chosen to play Christ, years later, was chosen to play Pilate in the same play.

Well, guess what, Alfie. Years ago, approximately thirty—six, in college, I was chosen to play Christ. Where are you, Ray Howard? I can play Pilate!

It is an eerie feeling to think of that. Did you make that story up, Sister? It is also an eerie feeling to play Christ.

Now, I will tell the rest of the story, Ray, as Paul Harvey would say.

How did you ever get me to do that, Ray? You had a way with words. I was scared stiff—but guess what—they talk about the Hail Mary pass, well it works. I was shaking before the play began. I said a Hail Mary—and a complete calm came over me! I figure Mary didn't want to embarrass her son. But I'm not too sure of that—you remember—I tripped in the Garden scene. But it didn't bother me—I wish I had that calm all my life—but I was Christ for only an hour. I was pretty good though—remember, you told me—and you know all about acting and make—up—they even said I looked like Christ.

Acting? I wasn't acting—at least not on the Cross—you had me standing on one bare foot (with the other on top) on that extension ladder. Try it for fifteen minutes! I was in pain and thought I would fall before the scene was over. Frank had a good spot behind me singing the words I was mouthing—too slow! I couldn't wait to die. And everybody said what a great job I did. You could have picked anybody to stand on that ladder—the pain shown on my face was real!

(Continues...)

Excerpted from WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?by "Anyman" Copyright © 2011 by "ANYMAN". Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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