Yesterday, Maria was Belly Dancing Woman. Tomorrow, she will surely channel Frida Kahlo, and today she is my Willa Cather  girl again, this afternoon, she will either be Garden Woman or the Manure Queen or Tarzana, removing our big manure pile and spreading it over the pasture, wheelbarrow load after wheelbarrow load. There are many faces of Maria, and I can’t wait to see which one will get up today.

I’m writing this around 7:30 a.m., she is worn out from hours of Belly Dancing, and I’m up early to do the chores so she can sleep late. I’m planning on bringing her some tea in bed.We’ll go to Jean’s Place for breakfast and the farmer’s market for fruit and vegetables.

First, I went to the Bishop Maginn Amazon Wish List to do some good. I bought a $10 Gift Card for the school. Twenty of those will buy a new laptop computer for the school, so will eight of the $35 Gift Cards.

Since the fall of 2016, this has been my ritual, my sacrament if you prefer. I vowed to do good father than argue about doing good, I promised myself I will do some good every day, preferably starting out the morning that way.

I have found this to be profoundly grounding and fruitful for me. I do not argue politics with people, nor have I succumbed to any form of hope or despair. There is no salvation in anger and perpetual argument, or in demonizing people who are different from me.

I believe that every time I do good – or we do good – we contribute to the healing and hope for the world. I have learned that there are countless unsung heroes out there eager to do good given the chance. We make our own news here, and find our own faith.

So I find a way to do some good every day, online, at the Mansion, at the Bishop Maginn High School, in my daily life. This has transformed me, and give me a calling as well as a life. I usually start the day in that way.

When I bought the $10 gift card this morning, I felt strong and at peace and full of hope and excitement. Cheap at the price. I thank you all for your support from that day to this.  I hope this works for you as well as me.