A Pilgrim's Journal

I mentioned that the festival day was earlier this year, and they agreed. It's usually near the beginning of April.

The gentleman mentioned (conversation paraphrased), "as long as they don't postpone it."

"Oh, they do that sometimes?"

"Oh yes, if the weather's bad."

"When was the last time they postponed it?"

The man thought a while and then turned to his wife: "When did they postpone it last?"

She replied, "oh.... when did Adrianne move?"

She thought a little while, and then said, "maybe 78? 79?"

This was a surprise to me. 1979! No wonder I hadn't remembered any such thing.

A number of thoughts occurred to me. Isn't it amazing how certain dates seem like yesterday to us, even though time still keeps marching on? The year 1990 still seems like recent history to me, but it is 20 years ago. Surely, the year 1978 must have seemed like recent history to this couple.

And second: I can just imagine the shock of taking the time and trouble of going to the maple syrup festival, in bad weather no less, only to find that it had been postponed. Assuming that had happened to this couple, I can understand why such a memory would not be soon forgotten!

Moral of the story: keep your party dates fixed, and remember to live in the present.