Celebrating Celebrations: The Return of "It's Party Time!"

Celebrants, Accelerants...As in having to accelerate the rate with which we acknowledge certain milestone events, ranging from births to deaths, from weddings to funerals, including...all those that have necessarily been put on hold, deferred, postponed, or even "cancelled" altogether, while we haven't been -- together, that is. So many and so often throughout the past two years, during which I wrote to you 370 times here in an attempt to divert attention, sustain hope, and aspirations, to once again return to casually as well as in more formal attire, acknowledge those important milestone moments in our individual and collective lives. As we observe and more directly participate in such events, we may find ourselves trying to play catch-up, having to ramp up our rate of participation, partying...suddenly having to respond to more "RSVP's" or cleaning with a frenzy in order to host an event, reaching out to extended family and friends after an extended time away. All this, whether...

Major or Minor, ascribe or decide: While making it to the major leagues around these parts, primarily associated with the "national past-time", is itself a cause for major celebration, if done too quickly, after an insufficient time in the minors (otherwise known as 'farm systems'), maturing, honing their already proven skills, athletic gifts, can end up a major flop. In other cases, a player who has been enjoying success at a major league level is sent 'down' to the minors to correct some minor or major flaws, bad habits, or even "attitudes" they have developed. Some return, while others are quietly 'put out to pasture'. Historically, this idea precedes the game of baseball by many millenniums...all the way back, for instance, to the Old Testament biblically, as in "major and minor prophets". A term that gets ascribed to a life work of declaring, decrying...pronouncing, denouncing...As I've written to you here before, how would you yourself feel, after devoting your life this way on behalf of "a people", you were assigned in history as having been wither a "major" or "minor" and, if you knew ahead of time...So, sometimes it's decided for us whereas at others, we at least get to vote...

Milestones, Naturally: As in "reaching the age of majority", a topic I also wrote about here. Mathematically, when viewed as part of a lifespan for most living today, will represent a minor increment. But, depending on what state you are in (literally as well as figuratively!), there are many implications for reaching the chronological age of 18 or 21. It's that time of year, throughout much of the globe that we recognize, celebrate "graduation", most often high school. While graduation ceremonies and parties are not actually a modern 'invention', they sure have ramped up, and this particular year seem to be spreading once again like 'wild-fire', as if an accelerant had been added. Ranging from celebrating graduates from preschool (!) all the way up to...? The rate and 'degrees' to which we ascribe accomplishments is largely up to us. Whether we are the ones donning caps and gowns, or those writing cards, checks, and the like to toddlers on up...It's also noteworthy, as Rodney Dangerfield (aka "Thornton Melon") opined in "Back to School" that once reaching the milestone longed for, you may find yourself (or loved one) hesitant, as in "careful what you hope for" As only one as sagacious as Rodney could advise: "...you gotta look out for number one, but don't step in number two!" And only Rodney could have foreseen, prophesied, the sociological trend that preceded the recent pandemic, when he finished his commencement speech "...don't go...it's rough out there...move back with your parents and let them worry about it!" Millions have heeded his advice. 

Otherwise, most of us in the majority find ourselves at least celebrating that celebrations are making their return, minor as well as major.