I don't know why this popped into my head this morning, but here you go. I was raised catholic and my elementary school was run by nuns. I was chosen to be an altar boy at an impressionable young age. I suppose I enjoyed the sad romance of it all - the ancient rituals and the simple precision of the timely tasks that this peculiar unpaid internship required. Maybe I just liked the smell of incense.

On some occasions I was able to skip my classroom lessons entirely and accompany the priest on duty to the adjacent church for a midweek morning funeral. Seems kinda odd to me now, I guess. But much more vivid than the traditional Sunday services, I remember these most of all. Though not for any morbid reasons. On the contrary, there was often some unexpected juxtaposed nonsense I could almost count on. An old man who couldn't stop sneezing. A priest who kept farting. Old ladies always asking me to be in the photo (Looking back, my go-to pose, a 'Fonzie thumbs up', was inappropriate). 

The one I remember this morning was a solemn moment at one such memorial. The smell of smoke and wood. The cold marble. The statutes peering down on us. A somber organ and the solitary organist. The priest and I lighting candles during a moment of silence. And then a toddler in the pews, up at the top of her lungs, unyielding: "Haaappy Biiirthday Toooo YOUUUUU!!! Haaaappyy BIIIIRTHdaaaaay...." 

I hope you are all well this morning. I hope that through the uncertainty, through the strange and sad and somber and surreal stretches there is still some juxtoposition of joy. Kids saying ridiculous things. Nervous laughter. Silly photos. Dogs farting. Music. Birthdays. Celebrations of life. Defiant joy.

Missing you,

Daniel


ps. OAKLAND YARD remains open, accepting ONLINE ORDERS and offering curbside pick up, Tuesday through Saturday from 12-5. We are still here for you.Thank you for being here for us. Thanks for the kind messages of support and for those keeping us afloat with case orders and gift certificates and passing waves and smiles and good words. We miss you too:)