Advent 2024 - TMI: Temporarily & Momentarily Instagramming

"Father Time"

During my fraught relationship with social media, I followed @rethinkchurch, a progressive movement within the United Methodist Church. At one time, this “brand” seemed to represent a new generation’s spirit rising in the UMC. One of “unity” through “diversity,” words we are, unfortunately, growing to devalue in our culture, in part due to our own hypocrisy. There’s blame to go around. Thus, @rethinkchurch appears to have been swept aside during these times of the United Methodist Church’s fracture, breaking, and splintering, yet another Protestant denomination divided over the beliefs of their brains rather than united by the love in their hearts. The Christian “good news” I know does not advocate cutting community into lonely little pieces left only to God. Don’t get me preaching.

Anyway, #rethinkchurch used to offer Advent/Lent Photo-A-Day challenges every year. They would offer a calendar of words and ask that you reflect upon each day’s word as you went about your day. And if, along the way, a sight encapsulated that word you kept top of mind, you would post it on your social media feed with their hashtag. For me, it became a daily ritual, a meditation, a focus of thought and attention, and led to so much discovery. I captured a lot of really wonderful images that way, photographs in which I tried to convey more than simply what is seen. (If you are interested in the Advent 2024 photo-a-day challenge, you can find Advent 2024’s calendar of words here: https://www.umc.org/en/content/advent-photo-a-day-2024.)

So, that Advent and my road trip have aligned has inspired me to revive a little @rethinkchurch spirit on Instagram this year. Of course, this has totally made me a hypocrite for saying that social media sucks. It does suck that we have allowed the convenience of technology to force our evolution from human beings into mere products made of ones and zeros. But, admittedly, there are some good parts to it. Seeing friends and family and knowing where they are and what they are up to is top of the list. So I’ll agree with myself to post one photo a day through Advent, enjoy holiday photos, and then probably eat some cold turkey and delete the app, until Lent, maybe. My phone, my choice. 

Today’s word is #time. Though I have not taken a photo, I am sharing my digital art piece, “Father Time.” I, myself, cannot even say why it is called that, but that is what came to me after it was finished. I hope you like it. 

Acknowledgments:

This Advent 2024 Road Trip Blog is dedicated to my River Writers writing group: Amy Gross, who inspires me with her blog, “Someday is Now”: https://somedaynow.substack.com/; Andrea Hoag, who motivates me as she is THE quintessential road-tripper writing about her own road trips in a new memoir: https://andreahoag.com/; Annette Wasilik, who writes lyrics that speak to the heart, with music that sings to the soul: https://annettewasilik.com/; and Amanda Cisco who is a fount of good ideas and descriptive writing advice: https://www.amandacisco.com/.

Advent 2024 - Day 2

Lately, I’ve been letting people know that if they’re interested in a Quaker Parrot, my pet bird, George, is available. Of course, it would completely shatter my heart if someone actually took me up on the offer. But as I prepare for my road trip, I’ve been thinking a lot about George’s life—a projection, perhaps, of contemplating my own mortality at midlife. Still, I’ve begun asking questions like: Is George happy? Am I the right companion for him? Is he a “studio apartment over a garage” kind of bird? And most importantly, will he be an untroubled, healthy bird with the amount of attention I’m able to give him? (He needs it ALL THE TIME.)

As I try to understand George and hope that George is somewhat understanding me (we do have funny bird calls we exchange—me squawking from my chair, George from the top of his cage), I remain hopeful that we’ll figure things out and that he’ll become more content. In an effort, for his Christmas gift this year, I gave him a new perch so he can sit closer to my chair (and see me at all times!). Yes, George is a bit clingy, but don’t all relationships have their ups and downs? I guess that goes for the ones we have with our animals, too. So unless some awesome, kind, caring, and giving person wants to adopt my baby, the next step might just have to be couple’s counseling. They say there’s a turkey vulture accepting new clients near some roadkill on the way to Berryville. Grace!

But fret not, dear reader. During my road trip, George will be in loving, capable hands, and I think he’ll relish having new company. Or he might growl and scream and completely scare any new love away. I’ve been there.

Advent 2024 - Day 1

Today is the beginning of Advent, a time of expectancy, of imaginatively wondering possibilities and hoping them into view. And in seven days, I will begin wandering on a long road trip to the Northeast to celebrate my mentor and dear friend’s 90th birthday and to hug Christmas with my beloved friend, both of whom are mutually adopted family after decades of friendship. Sure, I’m not the brightest colored bulb in the box by choosing to do this particular road trip in winter, but alas, time is moving too quickly these days for me to wait on weather that may or may not happen. It’s been strange enough as it is and extremely unpredictable, as if the Earth is experiencing some sort of psychological trauma due to humanity’s growing abuse. But I am digressing. Anyway, it’s a holiday-type roadtrip, even if a “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” weather situation or “Christmas Vacation” craziness. Hey, I’m open for the adventure. (Well maybe not too much adventure.)

Yes, a winter road trip to blow the leaves off my brain, to warm my heart with chosen family, and to birth a naked perspective on life. Last Christmas, bells clanged instead of chimed and holiday songs fell flatly upon my ears. It felt sad to me, as if the magic and wonder of the season was losing what made it most significant. The narrative and its meaning. There’s a reason why that ancient story of Jesus has been told for nearly two millennia among humankind, and it hasn’t been and is not always due to fear. And though there is still a chance that I might not feel Christmas again this holiday season, I have decided to choose to force my perspective toward love this year. After half of a century, I am throwing my hands up in the air in surrender and just going to love the hell out of everyone.

> So, in regards to this winter road trip, I knew that in order to get to see people along my route and attend certain holiday events, I had to be in certain places along the route at certain times. Therefore, ChatGPT. And wow, it planned the whole thing for me. It did require a lengthy conversation to get all the details exactly right, but once it was finalized, I was able to make the reservations and get prepared. This really is a technological marvel. Let’s see how many years it takes before humanity starts using it to destroy each other. On the road trip, I'll keep you posted along the way! Stay tuned to see how it goes!<