My Name is Charles....

Last night I had the rare opportunity to go with Adam down to New City Cafe in the Old City. I took my guitar along with me with the intent of playing something but intentions don't always work themselves...tonight was that case. I happened upon a good friend of mine who I hadn't seen in a while Brandon Payne we talked for bit. I managed to follow Adam upstairs and join him in a informal discussion we discussed many topics, one we came to rest on for awhile of was the passing of Pope John Paul II. I said during the course of the discussion that I found it amazing at the array of emotion being displayed on the TV as I happened to watch the proceedings at St. Peters Basicillica. The majority of what I saw was utter despair, depression and downright sadness. At that point the question was offered: Do you think that those people are worshipping the man and his title or the God whom which he served. At that point in the evening we were graced with the presence of Charles. Charles is an older man who comes to the cafe on a regular basis and sit in the corner a paint icons which are amazing. He's roman catholic and this provided me a chance to get some things about catholicism that I was a little fuzy about such as the mother mary and her role in the liturgy and confession by way of the priest. He was very adamant that understood that catholics don't not believe mary is god only she is held in high regard because she was the mother of Jesus. As for Confession I had always had understood it as the proper way to seek forgiveness of sins is confession to a priest because we are unworthy to approach God. Charles cleared that up as well he said, Confession and the priest are all ways to show you how to approach God with your petition for forgiveness. This man's knowledge and insight were astounding I need to make a point of it and go down to the cafe just to talk with Charles. In continuing with the great evening I walked down the street and enjoyed a Guiness and some Celtic music a regular staple every Thursday night at Patrick O'Sullivans. After making my way back to the Cafe I stopped and added my dime's worth of comments in a conversation that Adam was having with Marylin and Carol about a mutual friend of ours and the control that he was able to exhibit and have over people. With that said and done we made our way back to Carson-Newman and I myself to rehearsal. In a final thought last night was one for the books. One to remember.


And I'll leave with how Charles introduced himself to me.

Charles - Hey What's your name again?
Me - I'm Jared.
Charles - Well I'm Charles and I'll be that for the rest of the evening.