SHE IS STAGGERING

Story by Peter Vuono

Title by Mark Mulcahy

   Years ago, when cars had CD players, I'd love to play one of my favorite songs as I rode home on Route 495. There was a song I loved to listen to called, "She Is Staggering" by Polaris, a little known band out of New Haven CT who played the lion's share of background music for the TV show "Pete and Pete".

   I liked it because it reminded me so much of my daughter Amy who just got married to a great guy on August 22nd. The gist of the song is that the story teller sees a woman that he's enamored with and it's all he can think about. It reminds me of Amy because of two things: first, there is some nice flute playing in the middle and at the end of the song. Amy, for a brief time was very proficient in the instrument. However, the more important reason was that for such a very long time, I, my wife and I suppose Amy prayed that she would find a soul mate because all we wanted for her was happiness.

  She had unfortunately encountered many road blocks and perhaps wrong decisions that only broke her heart all the more. We continued to pray and it happened; God blessed us all. She married Mike in a beautiful setting in NH with me presiding as a Justice of the Peace and a gathering of some of the most beautiful people I've ever met.

  Throughout my life, God has afforded to me many blessings.

The time in 76 that I got my 1st teaching job and didn't expect it.

The time I won the NH state powerlifting championships in 77.

The time I sat on Diane's couch listening to "You Take My Heart Away" as she said, "Of course, I'll marry you".

The time the doctor handed me Amy the second she was born and I looked upon her in awe.

The time my son Mike earned a Black Belt in front of the top ranking Kenpo artist in the world.

The time Mike became a teacher

The time he sent me two beautiful Pugs- Daisy and Lucy

The time I survived a heart attack and went on to take care of both my elderly parents, get a Black Belt at age 61 and pull a 400 deadlift a few months later.

Or the time when a dolphin jumped clear out of a pool on a wall to meet my 6 yr old daughter!

All these were blessings to be sure that I'll never forget but they didn't have the impact of joy as the day Amy found happiness, found a man who loved her for who she really was and  who found her staggering.

"I couldn't stand up; I couldn't sit down. One look at her and I stumbled around. She is staggering".

M. Mulcahy

 LIGHT YEARS FROM SAINT FRANCIS

By Peter Vuono

   Eight hundred and six years ago a wolf terrorized Gubbio, Italy. the wolf stole and ate pets and livestock in addition to attacking people. When he arrived from an excursion, Francis of Assisi declared that he would confront the animal. He sought out it's lair as bystanders stood terrorized behind him. He shouted out,"Brother wolf".

   The wolf appeared actually looking contrite. Francis reprimanded him and demanded that he kill no more in exchange for food from the towns people. It became so docile that it roamed the streets as if it were everyone's pet and actually became beloved. When the church was renovated, workers found a wolf skeleton properly buried beneath the church.

   Recently, in Topanga California, police were summoned to a woman's apartment who neighbors thought was being assaulted. She was merely celebrating the Knicks win and when police arrived, her small, mixed breed dog, dressed in a Knicks shirt, got out. The police ordered her to contain the dog. Once inside the apartment,  the dog escaped again. As it approached a policeman, he chose to draw his firearm, killing the dog. The sight of the woman caressing her murdered companion was perhaps as horrifying as any horror movie that this author has ever seen.

  Los Angeles Police officers are issued, in addition to a firearm, a baton, pepper spray and a Taser. The person who shot the dog chose the deadliest weapon he had on him. Years ago, this author heard something purported to be the Shaolin Creed. It went like this: "Avoid rather than check. Check rather than injure. Injure rather than maim. Maim rather than kill." Personally, I don't think it has anything to do with the Shaolin but it certainly makes a lot of sense if we have the   means to act differently.

  When I was teaching, from Sept 94 to Oct 95, I got involved in 10 fights in 11 school months. My trump card was that I was a powerlifter and in 93 deadlifted 560lbs. I never once hit a student or kicked a student. I used everything I had to stop violence. The Chinese Characters for martial arts- Zhi Ge Wei Wu are translated as  "To stop the spear is true strength". Note that it does NOT say to kill the person throwing the spear is true strength, In this author's opinion, a baton in the face or pepper spray would have thwarted an animal of that size. When I walk my dog, I carry two- non-lethal and legal weapons with me. It is my intention to protect my dog but not kill an aggressor. "Injure rather than maim. Maim rather than kill!" I pray that Saint Roch, the patron saint of dogs comforts this woman and I pray that the person who killed the dog, repents to his God.

  In 2016 a presidential candidate said that he could"Shoot a man in the middle of 5th Ave. and get away with it". He's right; we're moving as a race more toward the darkness. We may be 806 years after Saint Francis but we are light years behind his teaching.

"Not to hurt our humble brethren, the animals, is our first duty to them"- Saint Francis

 

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JON

By Peter Vuono

  December and January were tough months for me; or so I thought. I contracted a sinus infection for the entire month of December and ended the month by falling down the stairs on 12/27 in our first snow storm shoveling snow. I had been trying to train around this for a powerlifting meet I was going to enter on 1/10.Little did I know, that the chemistry of the infection would render me powerless.

  Infections cause an increase of cortisol; a hormone that shuts down the HPTA- or the hypothalamic, pituitary testes axis. This is the testosterone making process of the body. I went from a total testosterone of 640 ng/dl to 482 ng/dl. Needles to say, I bombed at the contest missing ALL my attempts. I started feeling sorry for myself and my daughter Amy even contacted wrestler Jake Roberts to send a video to cheer me up! However, I finally became "woke" when I looked down at the shirt I was wearing that my friend Jon gave me. It had on it praying hands with the inscription "I'm blessed" on it. On the hand was a tattoo of the word, "iron". Jon got it from the famed Iron Addicts Gym of Long Beach.

 Jon is a bit of a renaissance man as he's a great football player, a bodybuilder, a dog lover, an ordained minister, a doting dad and grandfather and he is to computers what Barry Kasparov is to chess!! The first thing I could think of  as I looked down at it was the famous quote from Jonathan Swift's book- Friendly Conversations". It read, "There's none so blind as those that will not see". It's true; I couldn't see the forest for the trees!

  I survived a heart attack, open heart surgery, a knee replacement and two other surgeries only to go to and compete in no fewer than 9 power meets in 3 leagues after all the surgeries. I have a wonderful wife of 47 years, two wonderful kids, a magnificent and loving rescue pug, a roof over my head and heat. I had no right to feel sorry for myself because among the abovementioned blessings I also had my faith.

 So my message to you today is that you should try to contemplate the blessings that you do have when things get rough. If you do, you'll spend more time on the needs of others rather than on yourself. So take a look at this shirt and try your best to remember the Gospel according to Jon.

 IT WON'T BE LONG, WE'LL MEET AGAIN!

Story By Peter Vuono

Title by Howard Jones and Adam Dutkiewicz

   Recently, my friend Colleen passed away after having valiantly battled cancer. Whenever I think of Colleen, the poetess Maya Angelou always comes to mind. Angelou once said, "You may never remember what someone said, and you may never remember what someone did, but you'll always remember how someone made you feel ."  Colleen was the epitome of encouragement. Every time I saw her, she'd say something so very complimentary.

   In July we were in a park together. As Diane and I walked ahead of her, I could hear Colleen comment to her husband, Frankie," Look at the two of them; they look like two high school kids". About ten years ago, at one of her husband Frankie's weightlifting contest, my son and I did  an impromptu exhibition of Kenpo for Colleen. She was delighted and talked about it many times through the years. The irony, here is that Colleen had the kinds of qualities that would deserve constant accolades.

   She was a loyal and hard working daughter, mom and wife.She'd sacrifice anything for her loved ones.She actually competed in a national championship weightlifting contest. She delighted and made happy hundreds of people by raising and selling bulldogs. When I visited her home, I couldn't wait to be greeted by her two personal dogs, Zeus and Smooch. She was able to drive and commandeer gigantic dump trucks which would scare to death a common guy like me!

  She wasn't afraid to stand up for herself with firmness and class. She and her husband had a rude and antagonistic neighbor. Colleen confronted the man, stood her ground and was never bothered again. When Bruce Lee said, "Be soft, yet not yielding, be firm, yet not hard", he must have been thinking of Colleen.

  One of my and my son's favorite songs is called, "The Rose of Sharon". There's a special refrain in the song that reminds me so much of Colleen and so many of my friends who have left before me. It goes, "It won't be long, we'll meet again. Your memory is never passing. It won't be long, we'll meet again. My love for you is everlasting".

  Certainly her memory will never pass away to those that love her. However, it's the beginning of the refrain that is so very important for us to listen to. If we believe in the resurrection, it won't be long and we will meet Colleen and all our other loved ones again in the folded arms, the love and the eternity of Christ.

 PETE'S STORY

By Peter Vuono

  In September of 1973 when I stepped foot for the first time on the campus of Massasoit Community college, my attention was directed toward a young man who was brimming with charisma. Pete Murby of Raynham Mass. was born with severe cerebral palsy. It affected his arms. legs and speech. He gallantly got to class himself by pushing his wheelchair backwards with his one good leg.  The CP, however, did not affect his mind or his heart. I knew we'd become friends.

  Pete was always friendly, affable and convivial. He never once said anything negative about his disability or about other people. He was simply loved by all. After we became friends, we used to hang downstairs in the student union together. One day, I was working out on a universal machine and Pete asked me to show him the ropes.

  I sized up Pete's abilities and put him to work on the lat  machine. After about 3 or 4 sets Pete simply said with a bright smile, "I feel good"! That's all I needed in deciding to change my future major at Bridgewater State to Special Ed. Pete may have "felt good", but I got an incredible rush of accomplishment in helping someone after that very simple training session. He changed my life. After Bridgewater, I taught Special Ed. for a year in Pelham NH where I'd meet my future wife. I did a 34 year stint in the same discipline at Brockton High School. After retirement, I did 1.4 years of adapted Phys. Ed. at an elementary school and I've since spent the last ten years as a home teacher working with kids with a variety of needs.

  God knows I've made a miasma of mistakes that I'll always regret but I also had a lot of victories. It's Pete, however who deserves any accolade for these as it was he who was the prime catalyst in starting it all. God directed me through him.

  Pete spent the last year of his life in hospitals and rehab due to infections and later on cancer. When I visited him his attitude never changed. He was the same warm guy that I met in 1973; still inspiring guys like me to work through any adversity and teaching me to not let adversity get me down. He inspired to the end; never changing.

  Thanks to Presidents Ray DiPasquale and "Big" Bill Mitchell, a commemorative plaque was placed in the courtyard in Massasoit among the foliage there. It's right beside Pete's friend Professor Laura Yellen's plaque who refused bone marrow transplantation to give it to a younger person than she. Dozens walk by these plaques each day. Some never notice. Some look down and think nothing. I however look and see only a garden of inspiration  kindness and love. Thank you, Pete; I love you.

"The quality of life does not depend upon achievement. The quality of life depends upon love"- Pope Leo XIV

 JACK: A LESSON IN KINDNESS

By Peter Vuono

  The last course that I had to take  for my Master's Degree in 1983 was Music Theory offered by Dr. Jacob Liberles  at Bridgewater State College. I liked Dr. Liberles but he certainly knew how to make us work. We had to study classical music for hours. At the final, we'd listen to a piece and give the name of the author, title of the piece and WHERE EXACTLY in the piece we were listening. For example; Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" has, of course, 4 sections which are segmented into three parts per season. We had to name the title, author and which segment we were listening to.

  As if that weren't enough, Dr. Liberles had us perform a song on the piano EACH WEEK! He never asked us if we could read music or had a piano. We just had to do it! I was a bit dyslexic with reading music. I could do it, but I was slow. Ergo, I learned every song by ear. Even Dr. Liberles was surprised that I learned this way. In my final, however, I forgot the notes at about 85% finished. I was dejected but Dr. Liberles allowed me to retake the piano exam. This is where Jack comes in.

  Jack was a very husky, red headed baseball player from my hometown in Quincy. He probably could have played football but he was super easy going and friendly. During my re-take, Jack sat quietly awaiting HIS turn on the piano. I nailed it! While walking away, Jack displayed the "OK" gesture and whispered,"That was perfect!" I wasn't used to getting accolades from anyone at home and his comments have joyfully stuck with me my whole life. I never got to thank him. The philosopher Lao Tzu once said that,"Music in the soul is heard by the universe". How ironic it was that after making music, a friend would implant it in MY soul.

   One day, I will be gone, Jack will be gone and everyone that he and I know will be gone. However the beauty of that moment is this; God is eternal as is HIS memory. Every kind word made by Jack, me and all of humanity is tabulated and will greatly pay forward in the enormous dividend of everlasting happiness.What a wonderful thing that is for Jack, for me for, you and all humanity.

"There are three ways in which we should treat others; the first is to be kind, the 2nd is to be kind and the 3rd is to be kind"- Mother Teresa

"SHE PUTS ME TO SHAME."

Story by Peter Vuono

Title by Otto Frank.

Dedicated to Kate M.,  Tammy C.

and Joe Steinfeld- heroes all!

   On page 186 line 11, in the popular book ,"Diary of Anne Frank, Otto Frank says the quote contained here in this article's title  about his daughter Anne who had written the diary while she and her family hid in an attic in her father's building in Amsterdam from the Nazis from 1942-1944. Anne and her family were captured and she died while being held captive in Bergen-Belson concentration camp at age 15 from typhus. I saw the play in 1974 for the 1st time and when I see the medals depicted with this story, I, through the lives of my family members, remember Otto's statement. Anne had an amazing faith in love and humanity in spite of the cruelty reaped upon her, her family and her people. Anne was a German born Jewish girl. In her diary, Anne says, "Where there's hope, there's life. It fills us with fresh courage and makes us strong again".

   When I look at the medals, I realize that they represent 3 world records of mine. I sometimes feel a little proud but not for long. Why? First, "pride" is the worst of the 7 deadliest sins. Secondly, I did very little to earn them and if world record medals are to go to anyone at this address they should be given to my wife who has undergone 6 operations and to the little girl sharing the photos with the medals.

   Lucy was born on Flag Day in 2021. For 3 years and 10 months of her life she was made to do all hygienic chores in a crate and to put forth at least two litters of puppies for a puppy mill. Just as amazingly, the cruel keepers of the mill belong to a religious sect who are usually purported to be people of peace and forgiveness. I didn't see it with Lucy.

   On both of her hind legs are two black scars(one frontally and one laterally), from a crate that was too small for her and her puppies. Thanks to her intrepid rescuer Kate- a 21st century Harriet Tubman- and her step mom- Tammy she was delivered to us and is truly the answer to our prayers. Like Anne Frank she is filled with nothing but love  and hope. She too, has maintained a love and faith in 

humanity.

  So when I periodically pass by these world record medals, I now smile; pride is gone. They don't belong to me; they belong to Lucy who deserves them so much more than I. She puts me to shame.