Every day of the week has an emotion

 

Garfield was spot on when he spoke about Mondays. This lazy feline, who never once had to get up for work, knew all too well that Mondays are cursed. 

If there’s a day when I forget to bring something important to work, it’s Monday. If there’s a day when I spill my coffee all over my desk, it’s Monday. If there’s a day when a co-worker will call in sick or get stuck in snow or have problems getting kids to daycare, it’s Monday. 

Monday is the ultimate scapegoat of our work week. If anything goes wrong, blame it on Monday. 

You would think Tuesday would be better but frankly, it isn’t. Tuesday struggles mightily to escape Monday’s dark shadow. Monday’s antics are so taxing that Tuesday is simply – tiring. 

If there’s any hope to be had, it comes on Wednesday. This so-called hump day (not “humping day” as my co-worker from France once thought), can at least give the impression that the weekend is near. You may hear some hopeful chatter if you listen carefully through the office walls: “I may go up to the lake...” or “There’s this concert...” But it’s inevitably followed by “...but plans could change” or “...the weather might not cooperate.” Blah, blah, blah, it’s all so Wednesday. 

Thursday is different. Thursday gives reason for optimism. People will greet you in the elevator on a Thursday. There’s something in their eyes that tells you, I might just call in sick tomorrow to get an early start on the weekend.  

Why anyone would want to skip out on a Friday at work baffles me. That’s the day when the marching band parades down the street in front of you as you tap to the beat on your steering wheel. In the office, someone brings donuts – actually, two people bring donuts, because Joe didn’t know Sara was going to bring some! 

Friday is full of friendly banter and long walks down the office hallway with donut in hand. “Hey, you, what’ve you been doing all week? Haven’t seen you around. Okay, let’s touch base again... maybe next Friday?” 

Friday can end in any number of ways, but hopefully you don’t party so hard you forget it all. Try to savour these final few hours of bliss, because there’s a great unknown waiting for you. 

It’s called Saturday. You never know what to expect on Saturday. It’s inherently unpredictable. You might just wake up an hour before your alarm would normally go off with the realization that there’s work to do.... Cleaning, yard work, maybe even some painting! Saturday quickly does not live up to its billing. The kids are demanding, your spouse is flustered, and the cat is clawing on the curtains. That’s when you realize you’re out of milk. 

Sunday is an improved Saturday, but can also be a roller coaster of emotions. If you go to church, the devil is at work, keeping you and your family from leaving the comfort of your warm home. If you don’t go to church, the devil is at work, keeping you from watching that football game you were counting on all week (hey, have to blame it on someone!) 

Thankfully, it all comes together Sunday evening, that blessed time in the universe when everyone is settled and in sync. Your kids are peacefully playing that board game you were struggling to learn all afternoon. The cat is curled up by the fireplace. Your spouse is giving you a backrub while you watch another football game. It’s time to meld as a family, to cherish a rare moment of peace and tranquility. 

Because as we know, Monday is right around the corner. 

Pacifism not so black and white

Remembrance Day has caused me much internal conflict throughout my life. It was good to commemorate those who were brave enough to die for a country, but at the same time I was a firm believer that war was wrong. 

Born into a Mennonite household and community, pacifism was upheld as the highest ideal. To take up arms is wrong. Traditionally, Mennonites interpret the New Testament as the fulfillment of God’s will, ultimately demonstrated through Jesus, who called not for violence but for peace. The Mennonite interpretation of “turn the other cheek” and “pray for your enemies” was taken literally. Other commands to give all your money away to the poor... well... we’ll talk about that another day. 

I’m conflicted because I live in a peaceful country where the military isn’t front and centre. We all know NATO will come to our defense if attacked (hopefully). And at the personal level, we all know the police will come to our aid if ever we were physically attacked. 

But what if they didn’t? The hypothetical situation, where your house is invaded by thugs and you happen to have a gun, was one I never shied away from. I wouldn’t use the gun, I claimed. However.... I might use a hypothetical shovel instead – to you know, bash the guy’s head in, but never fatally. That’s okay, right? Especially if he’s threatening my wife and children, right? 

There are clearly more greys and less black and white the more scenarios you run. A real-time scenario for me right now is the situation in Ukraine. 

When it comes to Ukraine, there’s no question they are being attacked unjustly. Russia invaded their country and soldiers are literally invading their homes. Just yesterday, a 15-year-old girl from Kherson said she was taken by the Russians and threatened to have her fingers cut off if she didn’t tell them where the Ukrainians were hiding. She thought for sure she would be raped. 

Torture, rape, and indiscriminate killings have played out across Ukraine for the last nine months. Any normal person should be outraged. So much so, one might be willing to join the fight, like the 33-year-old man from Herbert who recently died as a volunteer with the Ukrainian forces. 

As Mennonites, the only option in many cases was to flee oppression. That was the way out. Find a better country like Canada, Mexico or Paraguay. But what if there’s nowhere to flee to – or if you don’t want to flee your family and home? 

My grandfather abandoned his pacifist beliefs to volunteer in the military during World War II. He was fortunate he didn’t experience battle – the war was over before he was sent to Europe... or just as he was about to jump out of a plane... the story keeps changing. He always spoke of his time in the army with positivity, even though he ended up renouncing his military participation to be accepted back into his church. 

My other grandfather didn’t have to fight because he was farming at the time, but he may have applied as a conscientious objector if he had been called upon. His refusal to fight may have come as a combination of his personality and beliefs. 

In the past, I would have been the same way, but today I’m more conflicted. I prefer peace, but at the same time, I’m of the firm belief that oppression needs to be fought. Sometime violence is unavoidable. I can’t see Hitler falling without his army falling first. I like Ghandi for what he did for India through peaceful non-resistance, but an argument can be made that it would have never worked against Nazi Germany. 

As talk of a Russia-Ukraine peace deal comes up again in the news, one wonders how many of us would be so willing to negotiate after over 100,000 Ukrainian casualties (likely far more), untold humanitarian horrors, and forced occupation of one’s homeland? 

I can’t see any of us agreeing to a stalemate, especially when you’re dealing with a ruthless despot. Typically, they don’t stop until their power is stripped from them. 

Peace will come, but for now, the fight must continue.