A relatively minimal hurricane named Gaston made landfall in South Carolina on August 29, 2004.
The next day it was downgraded to a tropical depression as it crossed North Carolina with sustained winds of 45 mph. Gaston dumped up to 6 inches of rain on NC.
As the storm tracked northward into Virginia, it strengthened and my town became the epicenter. The Richmond area received close to 12 inches of rain that afternoon.
We drove in it.
In 1954, two neuroscience researchers at McGill University, James Olds and Peter Milner, discovered in rats (by accident) the brain’s “pleasure center”.
The experimenters were administering an electrical current whenever the rats entered part of its cage. Instead of fleeing from that part of the cage, the rats enjoyed the electrical stimulation.
Once a lever was installed to offer a self stimulation, the rats effectively pleasured themselves to death.
There is no question Americans are blessed (or should I say cursed) with an obscene about of abundance.
We are the model for consumption.
And, for millions of Americans, the most visible symbol of our property on a daily basis is our vehicle.
We travel to work in it. We take it to the mall. We park it at the gym. We maneuver it through the drive thru for coffee or dinner.
And our vehicles transport us to church.
Quick Bible Trivia:
What were the last two words spoken by Jesus on earth, as recorded in the Bible?
In fact, Jesus said the two last words not once, by twice!
If you already know the answer, I confess you have me beat.
I was surprised by the answer.
On one occasion a brother got a cramp in his leg, and I suddenly saw he was sinking fast, so I motioned to another brother, who was an expert swimmer, to hasten to his rescue.
But to my astonishment he made no move.
Growing desperate I cried out: “Don’t you see the man is drowning?” and the other brothers, about as agitated as I was, shouted vigorously too.
But our good swimmer still did not move. Calm and collected, he remained just where we he was, apparently postponing the unwelcome task.
