By Rev. Randy Fillmore

"Now What?"

With seemingly multiple hundred-year events happening since 2020 began, we've been reluctant even to think about "Now What"?.  Wild fires, pandemic, civil unrest, loss of historic civil rights leader and a champion for equal protection, and now, we're embarking on a national election that will result in certain national upheaval regardless of the outcome.

Besides all the above, I have pondered the "Now What" question from another perspective.  Not meant to diminish national and world events, though for me, it's almost as important.

I now seem to have more hair on my forearms than on my head, and I'm still purchasing shampoo.  Why am I doing that?

I took some time in contemplative thought one day and wondered.  Is it a habit when the shampoo bottle is nearly empty that I add it to the grocery list?  Is it wishful thinking that I still need the same amount of shampoo as I did 20 years ago when I had a full head of thick shag rug-like follicles?  Maybe it's purely denial and nothing more.

When COVID hit and we sheltered in-place, like so many others I could not get a haircut.  After 3 weeks I looked like I had an 8 o'clock shadow on my head, but then after a couple of more weeks as my hair was growing in some spots faster than other areas, I started looking more like the pointy-haired boss in the Dilbert cartoons.  Now what?

Out of desperation, my electric clippers previously reserved for mustache trimming were put into service to even-out the parts that continued to show signs of old-age growth from the areas around the same time as when savings accounts actually paid interest.  Now what?

I have now resigned myself to no longer accept the belief purchasing and showering with shampoo will manifest in a mane worthy of my youth.  It's a painful realization, and while I may mourn such a decision when seeing an ad for shampoo in a men's health magazine (on this I'm kidding, as there no way I'll torture myself with even looking at such a magazine) or when I pass by a man whose older than I who has a full head of hair.  I'll just chuckle to myself when I think of using the money I would spend on haircuts and shampoo for other fun things (cream-filled doughnut, a milkshake, or a 2-piece serving of pie from a bakery, as long as my wife is unaware).

Now, when I begin to think, "Now what?" on matters that have significance upon our nation and world, I refer back to how I was finally able to accept my follicle fate; is it habit, is it wishful thinking, or is it denial?

If we consider our existence on this earth plane is only but a small part in our overall journey in our spiritual path, it's our choice to use a question mark at the end of, "Now What?", OR use an exclamation point, "Now What!"  It's our individual choice.

Blessings along your path
Rev Randy Fillmore
ADL Ombudsman
Chapel 1709