I teach.
As any teacher will confirm, sometimes you fall in Love with your Students.
Just the way you sometimes fall in Love with Your Nurse
or your New Baby
or your Elderly Neighbor
or Any Person you see engaged in some valiant kindness,
walking through their Life in Heroic Ways,
or who awakens you to your own humanity —
Who helps you to see the World from a New and Brighter Perspective!
ADAM is like that!
He was my Student some 15 years ago.
(more…)
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on April 6, 2016
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2016/04/06/adam/
December 25th: Christmas Day
December 26th: The First Day Of Christmas
December 27th: The Second Day Of Christmas
December 28th: The Third Day Of Christmas. Today. Now.
A quick bit of internet research reveals that the Three French Hens in the Carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” have several symbolisms:
Some say they symbolize Faith Hope and Love
Others say they signify the Holy Trinity
And still others believe they refer to a new breed of Chicken.
In some cultures, White Chickens are believed to bring Good Luck.
For many, the Hen is a sign of Motherly Devotion
For others, it symbolizes Divine Intervention.
(more…)
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on December 28, 2015
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2015/12/28/three-french-hens/
I like the Lights.
When I grew up, the Tree was put up on Christmas Eve.
Children awoke Christmas Morning and were told that Santa came and put up the Tree in the Night.
Parents are Amazing in their SuperPowers & what they can come up with…
The Lights and the Decorations were all a part of that one brief event: Christmas.
It has all grown very secular
And that’s fine if it makes it more accessible for more people.
Celebrating Kindness…
Celebrating Giving…
Celebrating Gratitude…
Celebrating God With Us…
All of these things are Christmas to me!
And all of them can be celebrated with a string of Lights, or a SnowFlake, or a Wreath or a Drum, as well as anything else.
(more…)
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on December 20, 2015
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2015/12/20/light-em-up/
A Jewish Colleague and Friend asked me last week, “Can I ask you a question? Where did you learn your Yiddisha? You speak it better than anyone I know. You spell it better than anyone I know…”
I had signed an Email “L’Shonah Tova Tikatevu!” (i.e.: “HAPPY NEW YEAR! May You be inscribed and sealed [in the Book of Life] for a Good year…”)
I told her that I grew up in New York Theater, and the Fabulous BARBARA COLTON was my Mentor in such things!
I also have spent the Jewish Holidays every year with my Best Friend’s Family (And after more than 35 years, Very Much My Own Family Too!)
I’ve Always Enjoyed So Many Aspects of Judaism.
I Love that each Day Begins with a Beautiful Sunset.
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on September 24, 2015
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2015/09/24/day-of-atonement/
Earlier this Summer,
I planted a Basil Plant in my Kitchen Window.
I wanted a Rich and Robust Verdant Plant with Opulent Flavorful Leaves of Basil, like the kind you find in the Italian Markets at the Peak of Season.
I was wrapped in Glad Expectancy!
But that didn’t happen.
Instead, I got a long kinda’ scrawny, spindly plant with very small and thin pale green leaves.
And although it wasn’t what I was hoping for,
It is still a Miracle.
I stop and Count the Miracles.
(more…)
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on September 19, 2015
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2015/09/19/small-leaves-of-basil/
Growing up,
We lived upstairs in Apartment 4A.
My Aunt lived downstairs with her family in Apartment 1A.
My Mother and her Sister talked every day
Several times a day.
When prime time television ended each night at 11pm, My Aunt would bang on the Radiator Pipe to let us know she was coming up.
My Mother would grab a wooden spoon and bang back to let her know it was OK.
I never understood the point of this, as they came every night at the same time
and it was always OK.
My Aunt and Uncle would sit with my Mother and Father,
and they would have a cup of coffee together before bedtime.
My Mother and her Sister shared all kinds of things. (more…)
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on July 21, 2015
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2015/07/21/the-sweetness-of-now/
NYC Pride 1982
When I was a twenty-something, I didn’t understand why it was called “Pride.”
I didn’t March back then.
Today I understand
Today I feel it
Today I March
Because We are All One.
What happens to one of us happens to All of Us.
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on June 26, 2015
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2015/06/26/pride/
As another semester draws to a close, and the Students continue to change from year to year, it seems like a good moment to pause and look at Why I Teach…
Barbara Walters
Perez Hilton
Because I grew up with BARBARA WALTERS
And you grew up with PEREZ HILTON.
Because I grew up in the EISENHOWER/KENNEDY Era
And you grew up in the REAGAN/BUSH Era.
Because I grew up learning Table Manners
And you grew up learning Apps.
Because when I grew up, we made it,
And when you grew up, you bought it.
Because when I grew up, Discipline and Respect and Good Sportsmanship were Values taught to us,
And when you grew up, Everyone got a Trophy.
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on May 24, 2015
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2015/05/24/why-i-teach/
To the Lovely People with whom I had EASTER DINNER,
Thank You!
The Lamb was So Delicious!
The Asparagus So Green and Tender!
The Potatoes roasted to perfection!
…All served on Royal Doulton China, no less!
There was that moment in the middle of the meal when the Hostess, apropos of Nothing, blurted out, “UH! And isn’t it Terrible what is Going on in Indiana! How about That!”
Of course, I’ve been hearing that all week long, so it seemed topical.
That is until the part I have not heard before amidst my social circles…
“Those poor people having their Religious Freedom Attacked!”
“And Those Corporations pulling out! And trying to pull the BasketBall away! It’s such an Assault!”
“The headline in the paper read, ‘Will Not Serve Gays!’ and it wasn’t even True! They didn’t say that they wouldn’t serve Gays! They just said that they wouldn’t cater their Wedding!”
The thick rumble of “DAMN that Liberal Media!” was palpable in the room.
I summon my Inner JON STEWART! (more…)
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on April 6, 2015
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2015/04/06/happy-easter-season/
Drummers Drumming… Pipers Piping… Lords a Leaping…
Dancing… Milking… Swimming…Laying…
It has been Quite a Season!
And this is Twelfth Night
(as SHAKESPEARE put it, “or What You Will”)
EPIPHANY
“Little Christmas”
THREE KINGS DAY (more…)
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on January 7, 2015
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2015/01/07/twelfth-day-of-christmas/
Live The Questions Now 