“The cold brings us back to reality, and the reality is we are very lucky,” or so says Garrison Keillor. While walking home in the cold tonight, my mind swimming with thoughts of church splits and broken hearts, my memory somehow stumbled on Bethel Church of my hometown. I’ve never been inside that tiny white frame church, and I can’t recall a soul who ever attended church there, but I remember Reverend and Mrs. Badger standing over the tomb of the unknown soldier and leading our community in “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” each and every Memorial Day. The frail Rev. Badger would remind us of the words as Mrs. Badger wielded an accordion twice her weight. Rev. Badger would play his trombone during the chorus. Neither one of them would sit down. Everybody would sing. The reality is we are very lucky.
