The Frith: STRANGE BERT

Sunday, March 19, 2006

STRANGE BERT

GETTING IN A FEW ZZ'S AT REBEL'S ROCK, THE LOCAL IRISH PUB. IT IS THE DAY OF THE ST PATRICK'S DAY PARADE, BUT THE FRITH IS A LITTLE YOUNG TO APPRECIATE IT. SO WE VISIT KATE AT REBEL'S ROCK INSTEAD FOR SOME YUMMY COLCANNON. KATE MAKES A GIFT OF BERT TO THE FRITH.. WHEN WE GET HOME MAMA DANGLED HIM FROM THE GYM FOR FRITH TO PLAY WITH, EARNING HIM THE NEW NICKNAME "STRANGE BERT". PLEASE DON'T ASK WHY WE CALL HIM THAT.

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DERIVING FROM THE ANCIENT WORD "PRIYAS" MEANING "ONE'S OWN", FRITH'S ORIGINAL MEANING WAS PROBABLY SOMETHING LIKE "THE PEACE ENJOYED WHILE AMONG ONE'S OWN FAMILY OR TRIBE" .. FRITH IS OFTEN TRANSLATED SIMPLY AS "PEACE".

THE FULL MEANING OF FRITH ENCOMPASSES PEACE BUT EXTENDS WELL BEYOND IT, TO COVER A LARGE PORTION OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL AND ESSENTIAL FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN SOCIAL LIFE. THE TERM FRITH CAPTURED A HUGE PROPORTION OF EVERYTHING GOOD THAT COULD EXIST IN LIFE, AND ALL OF THESE GREW OUT OF THE ROOTS OF THE KINDRED ITSELF -- THE KINDRED RELATIONSHIP.

ANCIENT VIKINGS WOULD INVOKE AN AGREEMENT AMONG ALL PRESENT THAT ARGUMENTS AND DISAGREEMENTS ARE LEFT 'OUTSIDE' THE DOOR DURING CELEBRATION : A 'PROMISE' TO KEEP FRITH. ANYBODY WHO DID NOT RESPECT THIS WOULD HAVE LOST FACE AND ALSO HONOUR. IN THE OLDEN DAYS ONE WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE ALL WEAPONS OUTSIDE, TO ENSURE THAT DISCUSSIONS DIDN'T END IN BLOODSHED. SO FRITH IS AN AGREEMENT AMONG SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO RESPECT EACH OTHER TO KEEP 'PEACE'.

FRITH DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE SHOULD ALL GET ALONG; IT MEANS THAT WE SHOULD ALL STAND, AND ACT, FOR SOMETHING REAL AND MEANINGFUL, AND THAT THOSE OF US WHO FIND OURSELVES STANDING FOR ENOUGH OF THE SAME IMPORTANT THINGS SHOULD STAND TOGETHER, IN LIFELONG COMMITMENTS WITHOUT CONSTANTLY WEIGHING THE BENEFITS AGAINST THE COSTS.

IN ESSENCE, FRITH IS NOT AN ABSENCE, BUT A PRESENCE. IT IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF STRIFE; RATHER IT FILLS THE SPACES BETWEEN PEOPLE WITH SOMETHING THAT IS STRONGER AND MORE IMPORTANT, MORE MEANINGFUL, THAN STRIFE.

FRITH IS AN ACTIVE, DELIBERATE, MINDFUL PEACE.

The Frith

Sunday, March 19, 2006

STRANGE BERT

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