MONDAY MORNING REFLECTIONS - BIN LADEN IS DEAD, SO IS MY SATURN, NO-HITTER, LIFE SCENES

I was relaxing in a hotel last Sunday evening, recuperating from a church retreat and getting ready for a denominational conference. I was watching the Phillies play the Marlins. (The Phillies had been giving me a lot more enjoyment lately than the Tigers). Then I began to hear the chants, "USA! USA!" Initially I was as confused as the players on the field until the ESPN baseball team announced the news that "Osama bin Laden" has been killed by US forces.  To be honest, I had basically stopped anticipating his death.  Like many White House reporters, I more anticipated news about Libya and Khadaffi.  My thought was not initially elation.  Instead, once again I felt grief for bin Laden's victims.  The persons who died in the attacks of September 11, 2001.  The soldiers who have died in pursuit of this champion of terror.  The list goes on far too long.  I agree with President Obama's decision not to release the photos.  They will inflame more than inform.  The families of his victims already have his face etched in their minds.  And the war against Islamic terror is by no means over.  As long as there are people who believe that people who do not live and worship as they do deserve to be exterminated, humanity will live with a terrible curse.  If anything, we need to be ready for retaliatory strikes. There certainly will be others to take up bin Laden's campaign of insanity in the name of his god.

One a different note, my 2000 Saturn, went home to be with Jesus Tuesday (I am being facetious, but the car is totaled.).  Some one decided his lack of right of way was not a deterrent to trying to drive through the space my wife was driving through.  157,000 miles--lots of great memories--still wonderful gas mileage--they are now history.  Out of personal sensitivity I did not post a picture of the dead Saturn.  Thankfully, very thankfully, my wife Dianne is unharmed.

Justin Verlander has had a yo-yo season so far.  Unable to keep the ball down, he has been clobbered in many an early inning.  Striking out people with the same relentless force as always, but giving up too many home run balls; Verlander was struggling.  So badly that I benched him on my fantasy baseball team.  O ye of little faith!  Saturday night, Justin pitched the second no-hitter of his career.  Few others have done so. There is joy in Tiger Town once again -- and on Home Lane.  Now will see if hope follows.  (By the way, I reinstated those Tiger pitchers.)

Just thought I'd finish out these reflections with some scenes from life.  These are wonderful graphic reminders that life matters.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.