April 10, 2023 - A SENSE OF SACREDNESS
Karena Anne and Grace Estelle, the "bookends" of my children
Grace Estelle Bernunzio homeowner, party planner, dog handler and all around loving daughter.
Julie’s parents, Henry and Barbara Schnepf. In their upper 80s they are still able to have a good conversation and a nice mimosa! They have lived their lives in a way that is sacred to me.
The delight of any holiday gathering is always more sacred with children. Up front is Olive Bernunzio with her sister Scarlet in the background…sacred took second place to the chocolate and the bubbles.
Gavin Rice and Nora Krantz joined us for the Easter brunch. They are both students at Eastman School of Music. We have had a tradition of inviting students who had no other place to go, to our holidays. It always adds a little more sacredness.
The organ at Christ Church, the MOST sacred of spaces, is across the street from Bernunzio Uptown Music…. The music and the service for the Saturday night Easter Vigil brought a solemn sense of peace to my heart.
Sammy Hirsh had a "sacred moment" when he unboxed and then cuddled up with this 1951 blonde Gibson ES-5
A SENSE OF SACREDNESS
April 10, 2023
Good morning folks,
This past week has been filled with many events as it is the "World Series of Religion". So many celebrations, from Holy Week, Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter, and all of Passover and Ramadan to boot! I was at work on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but Thursday night I decided to go someplace on my own. Because of the various disabilities that I have, going places on my own is often just a dream and sometimes a nightmare. But I thought I might try walking across the street and down a little bit to side entrance of Christ Church to attend the Holy Thursday night service. No, I haven’t had any sudden, and miraculous "conversion", I am not praying for the hand of God to touch me on the forehead and cure me of all my ailments, I just wanted to be in a sacred space. I had my fill of religious training in Catholic schools from kindergarten through my Master’s Degree but it never really stuck….except for the idea of that which is sacred. Sacred spaces, sacred music, sacred art…..those are the things that are truly the highest level of humanity. And this is true across every culture on the face of the Earth. Each and every individual language and culture on our planet, has a concept of something sacred in their world view. If we spend a little more of our time learning what is sacred to each other, rather than trying to build bigger bombs to blow each other up, perhaps we would all have a sense of sacred peace and a sacred planet to leave to our children. Anyway, enough of being on the soapbox. I’ll try to do with my part by telling stories and listening intently to everyone else’s story.
On Friday I had a very special event. My oldest daughter, Kara and my youngest daughter Grace and I finally celebrated our 25/50/75 birthdays. Yes, Kara and Grace are the bookends of my children, the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega, and they are both high energy gals. We started by having a massage in the afternoon and then had a beautiful dinner at a restaurant right near the store. It is called "Capri" and the story behind it makes my heart very happy and the food made my palate very happy. The restaurant was started last year by two immigrant men. One is from Afghanistan, and the other one is from the Ukraine. Frankly, the food was fantastic but the place was not really hopping for a Friday night in downtown Rochester. I’m not sure how they’re staying in business but I get the sneaking suspicion that the main patrons of this restaurant are other immigrant families and hosts. They were seating a few tables of 10 with kids. They was obviously friends of the owners. It comes high on my list of recommendations. Their "eggplant Capri" rivaled anything that I had in Sicily and that is saying something….it qualifies for a "sacred" food rating!
On Sunday we had a wonderful Easter brunch at my daughter Grace’s new home in Irondequoit. We were afraid we weren’t going to fit 30 people inside the tiny home, but everyone had a grand time and the food prepared by Julie, Rose, Kara and all of the other members of the family of course was fabulous. My brother, Pat and his wife Kathy even attended and it’s been a long time since we have spent Easter together. He brought a wonderful tray of cookies from his bakery, Leo’s, which is in East Rochester. Grace prepared beautiful Easter baskets for the little kids of my son, Jay and his wife, Taylor. Rocco, Olive and Scarlet all ended up overdosing on chocolate by the end of the party.
Today is our 36th wedding anniversary…we have been blessed with family and friends over all these years. Today we are heading out in the old rusty, trusty "vanna blue" to pick up some instruments and to perhaps enjoy a seafood dinner in the vicinity of Annapolis, MD. If anyone along the route between Rochester, New York and Norfolk, VA have any instruments they would like us to pick up for sale, we are ready to buy. Just send me a text or an email or message.
Sincerely,
John Bernunzio
Gavin Rice, Ben Hockenberry and John Ryan were the only participants in our first Celtic jam in the back room on the first Saturday of the month. Even though it was sparsely attended, the music was incredible and we had an afternoon of listening to the most amazing Irish music. We’ll get more attendees next time.
Thirty-six years ago today! The best decision I ever made, and a sacred one at that.
Tina and I will be missing us as we are disappearing for a few days. They will be keeping Grace and her wonder dog Penny great company