We went on talking and praying and what not until about 10:00 last night. Some conventioneers went off to a diner to continue the conversation. I drove Hussein back to the city (the convention was in Montclaire, New Jersey and there’s no public transportation out there on the weekends).
Hussein is a great guy. He’s finishing his doctorate in Islamic studies. He will be the next Juan Cole, I think (remember, you heard it here first). We had a lovely time comparing notes on blogging, living in New York (him) and not living in New York (me), etc…
He knew some of the people involved in that horrible Columbia Unbecoming scandal I blogged about last year. He really feels that the trouble was manufactured by the David Project, which came to campus looking for a divisive issue to use against the Mideast Studies Department. Apparently people at opposite ends of the Mideast politics spectrum get along pretty well at Columbia, for the most part. They can argue and then go have dinner.
Hussien’s blog, in case you didn’t read my last post, is Islamicate.
After I dropped Hussein off I was lucky enough to catch the last set at Smoke, a jazz club on the upper west side. Bruce Barth was all over the keys with a wonderful trio. It’s really a musicians’ hangout and after the set I sat at the bar for a while and listened to two drummers talking about who gets gigs in the city and who doesn’t.
While the trio was playing - jazz always makes me very happy, especially live jazz - I thought this:
We have our whole deaths to experience eternity. But we only get this tiny short span of time to be in the here and now, to have hands to make music and ears to listen to it, and to look around and see other people who are next to us, but separate from us, and to try to figure them out, and to smell pizza with basil.
Did I remember to thank God for allowing me this moment - and all moments?
I did.
I also missed Rebecca. She is truly a spirit close to mine in this life. She would have liked the scene.
What time did I get back to my hotel in New Jersey? 3:00 am, with no regrets.
What an amazing experience, in the midst of a weekend of amazing experiences!
It really was. Both.
I was missing being with you too, even before I knew it was in a smokey jazz club on the UWS.
I’m so glad you did this. It sounds wonderful, and I can wait to learn some Buddhist chants from you.
I heard something interesting about prayer, that prayer helps us understand what it is we really want.