The senior pastor of the church I grew up in was considered a star in the Chinese Christian community, even being termed the Chinese Billy Graham.  He built a reputation for himself and the church.  He did a lot of good –  no one can take that from him.  

He was also a bully.  No one really stood up to him and his behavior for a long time.  They are complicit in his misdeeds.  This plays out every day in many places.  Fortune favors the bold but cowards live a long time.

This one is about rain falling on everyone.

Recently, someone told me that his wife had Alzheimer’s and he was struggling with that.  I now understand why God says He takes no pleasure in the suffering of anyone.  It almost feels that present challenges amplify any prior experiences – good or bad.  A bit like Poe’s Telltale Heart.  

When I first arrived in Philadelphia, there were only two Asian male DAs in the city, including yours truly.  It was difficult.  My class was competitive and there were more than one jerkoffs.  As I’ve previously written, I broke the arm of one of them during a pickup basketball game.  I later found out he experienced a tragedy years later.  I told my high school music teacher about this and we both nodded in agreement when I said that part about the rain falling on all of us.

And in my own life.  I may as well have been Noah.  There’s this anecdote that’s supposed to be inspirational.  Fate, the devil, or someone whispers to a warrior or whoever that he or she can’t withstand the storm.  To which the reply is – I am the storm.  I get this sentiment at times and it isn’t entirely incorrect or inappropriate but it also feels like bravado at times.  I think it’s more of God still being in control of the storm and the rain that falls.  Rain also brings new life.  The rain does fall on all of us and it can have different consequences.

Yet, I did have some moments that I was the storm.  It’s still there.