by Anthony Benton
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
Amid Mardi Gras, life continues to call us
Carnival 2003 has arrived in the Crescent City and will be celebrated not only in New Orleans but in many communities throughout Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast. Whether you view the numerous parades in and around The Big Easy, or partake of the sights and sounds on the streets of the French Quarter, or participate in the last of the Mardi Gras bal masques (I’ll be at the Lords of Leather’s 20th anniversary bal masque at the St. Bernard Cultural Center on the night of March 2nd), this columnist and the publisher and staff of Ambush Magazine wish all of you and your friends much enjoyment and fun. We also urge you to be sane, exercise caution, and play safely.
Mardi Gras is here, presenting ample opportunities for fun and recreation before the Lenten discipline takes over for the next six weeks leading up to the Sacred Easter Triduum. Let us be mindful that we Americans have much for which to be grateful. As Americans, we should note the tensions building in other parts of our fragile and troubled world as our world leaders strategize efforts to erase the forces of terrorism where they exist.
In a Yahoo! e-mail group, a contributor submitted a meaningful poem I’d like to share with you, entitled "Proud To Be An American".
"Dear Lord,
There’s a young man far from home, called to serve his nation in time of war; sent to defend our freedom on some distant foreign shore.
We pray You keep him safe,
We pray You keep him strong,
We pray You send him safely home ...
For he’s been away so long.
There’s a young woman far from home, serving her nation with pride.
Her step is strong, her step is sure, there is courage in every stride.
We pray You keep her safe,
We pray You keep her strong,
We pray You send her safely home ...
For she’s been away too long.
Bless those who await their safe return.
Bless those who mourn the lost.
Bless those who serve this country well, no matter what the cost.
God, Bless America!"
In a world that could care less, we are to be people who could, and should, care more about the sacredness and precious quality of life around us.
Life calls us to respond, to be active, in a world rendered imperfect by life itself. Life has its problems to be shared among us, but those problems are hardly a reason for us to stop living life as fully as we possibly can. Life is never perfect, but that is hardly a reason to be less than the best that we can be.
Life is calling us today, inviting us to live its richness. We cannot afford to wait. Life is a moment that is like no other, a time full of challenges and problems, a time that it can be so much more.
Life is calling us today, beckoning us to make a difference. What we have learned, what we have experienced, we must use this unique opportunity to be positive and productive now, and not later.
Life is calling us today, even amid the troubles that cause despair and dismay. We must keep in mind what is real, what is happening today. Yes, it is more than the mind can fully absorb or comprehend. Yet, the reality is that life is simply calling us, continuing to call us to make it better for ourselves and those who are dear to us. It is a challenge, a noble task worthy of our best efforts to transform our trials and tribulations into a brighter day, a more magnificent life.
Do something nice for someone you care for. Talk to someone who’s down and out and in need of companionship. Call or visit someone you haven’t seen in a long time. Offer a loving embrace or tight hug to someone who needs the strength to carry on. Help pay someone’s phone or utility or department-store bill. Help someone who is in a bad situation and has no clue how it is going to get better. For when you do one or more of these things, God is acting through you to put a smile on someone’s face. Try it. You’ll be so glad you did your part to give life to someone else.
Celebrate and enjoy life, my friends. Count your blessings, and Happy Mardi Gras to all of you from all of us at Ambush Magazine.
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