upsetting what apple cart?

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The other day, I got a penitent note from Bill Lindsey, a fellow whose "Bilgrimage" blog asserts a wider vision of Roman Catholicism. Bill is an articulate defender of his faith, if not the faith generally put forward by the Vatican. But his note asked several people, me among them, to be patient with his slowness in returning our 'valued' emails:

I'm simply swamped, and will be until we've helped my brother past his current state of serious need.

Bill's brother, whose difficulties were not specified, had moved in with Bill and Bill's partner, Steve. I can only imagine the household and other reconfigurations that such an event might entail. Having someone else move in, with or without difficulties, upsets the previous apple cart of daily life. Not necessarily better and not necessarily worse ... but still there are apples all over the floor. Hell, I feel the same when my children return home for a weekend's worth of visit ... glad to see them and yet scrambling to reshape my thoughts and days.

Isn't it informative when what was so dreadfully important and believable and creditable yesterday -- or even fifteen minutes ago -- gets unceremoniously thrown out on its ear by the arrival of some new set of facts or people or events? What was tears turns without embarrassment or reflection to laughter ... or vice versa. What was serious-serious-serious suddenly is forced to take a back seat to this here-and-now seriousness.

With unexcelled teachers like this forever dogging our every step, wouldn't you think we might ease up a little on the brow-furrowing search for "teachers" and "meaning" and "unsurpassed peace?"
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