Literacy and whooshing sounds

Don't you love the title? Does it make you wonder? I hope so.
This morning I attended a meeting at which our speaker was the director of the literacy council of San Angelo. The stories she told were amazing. Examples: the expected deluge of hispanics wanting to learn English are there, but not many. But the people who want to learn to read are huge in numbers. From a 24 year old mother of 4, the oldest 9, who is working as a car hop at Sonic, and reads at a second grade level; to the 87 year old gentleman who came in and said it was necessary for him to learn to read so he could read the Bible before he died. From the young men who are trying out for the police academy and can't quite pass the test, tutoring, to the employees at Ethicon (one of our largest employers). These people are making about $60,000. a year, have excellent medical and retirement plans and read at first and second grade levels. Ethicon is trying to prepare them to function in case their jobs cease to exist, and sends them on company time to learn to read. How great is that? How amazing is that? How very San Angelo is that?

I am absolutely having fits to go down there and teach and my body is replying "No, honey, you did that and I can't support you in this anymore. I'm old and wearing out. Sit down." I am not pleased with this answer but have no choice, really. But maybe? we will be getting some kids of our own thru a local service, at our church who need to be kept and read to and helped with homework, etc, etc, and maybe this body will be more cooperative for this. I can always hope so.

As far as whooshing - I had my first carotid artery ultrasound today. The noise my heart makes when it pumps blood to my head sounds like the background of some comtemporary rock music, or like the sound track to a sci-fi movie. Really weird. And interesting, The tech was able to work and talk to me and explain what she was doing. I learned all about her education in this area, and I am fascinated. I'd like to do that, too.

Tomorrow I see the doctor my Denton daughter thinks is a quack. We;ll see what he has to say. Then, Friday I see the urologist. Don't you wish you could be me? No? Well, if I have to go to doctors all the time, I might as well ask a bazillion questions of thiem.

I am trying to get in touch with the Tallahassee paper to put Bill's obit in it. I have corrected the spelling of Lehnholf. Nobody else may believe it, but by cracky it IS spelled that way. I will also call the Angelo paper tomorrow.

Tonight is church and a Bible lesson from the best teacher I;ve ever heard. Aren't I lucky? Yes!

Ending with a prayer I like:

Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think that I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire
in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything
apart from that desire.
And to know that if I do this,
you will lead me by the right road
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always
though I may seem lost in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
Amen
Thomas Merton