Modern Rip Van Winkles

According to Wikipedia the story of Rip Van Winkle has this origin…

Quote: "Rip Van Winkle" is a short story by the American author Washington Irving published in 1819, as well as the name of the story's fictional protagonist. Written while Irving was living in Birmingham, England, it was part of a collection of stories entitled The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon.

The story of Rip Van Winkle is set in the years immediately before (the early to mid-1770s) and after the American Revolutionary War (the early to mid-1790s). Rip Van Winkle, a villager of Dutch descent, lives in a nice village at the foot of New York's Catskill Mountains. An amiable man whose home and farm suffer from his lazy neglect, he is loved by all but his wife. One autumn day he escapes his nagging wife by wandering up the mountains. After encountering strangely dressed men, rumored to be the ghosts of Henry Hudson's crew, who are playing nine-pins, and after drinking some of their liquor, he settles down under a shady tree and falls asleep. He wakes up twenty years later and returns to his village. He finds out that his wife is dead and his close friends have died in a war or gone somewhere else. He immediately gets into trouble when he hails himself a loyal subject of King George III, not knowing that in the meantime the American Revolution has taken place. An old local recognizes him, however, and Rip's now grown daughter eventually puts him up. As Rip resumes his habit of idleness in the village, and his tale is solemnly believed by the old Dutch settlers, certain hen-pecked husbands especially wish they shared Rip's luck.” End quote.

I have often thought of “Rip” when I am tired and need more sleep. Imagine 20 years of sleeping through all that goes on around you. In Rip’s case he missed a war and woke up in another country – at least a new country no longer under control of Britain. (The interesting thing is Washington Irving writes the story while he is living in Britain.)

I have come to see Rip’s story in a new light. Well maybe not completely new, but certainly with a new appreciation.

My friend has just come out of prison. It is almost exactly one month since he was cleared at the gate of one our bigger penitentiaries. He told me a little of his shocks coming from prison.

First – the size of cars now are very different than they were 20 to 30 years ago. Coming from prison he climbed into the Chaplain’s car a “PT Cruiser” by Chrysler. The PT Cruiser we all know is a lot like a grown up VW Bug from many years ago – little inside when you stick big men into it.

My friend’s memories were of the larger Chrysler - New Yorkers, the Big Buick and or spacious Pontiac of the 1978-79.

Coming home to Peterborough the crew stopped into a Truck stop/Service Centre along the 401 Highway. Being a generous guy he decided that he wanted to buy breakfast for those that were with him. The “Rip experience” happened again when he paid the bill – over $30… Yikes! The sudden realization that prices and money has changed was another eye opener.

One of the first religious/faith experience that he was to have on the outside was attending Northview church – where I work. I remember his face as he sat looking at everything in the sanctuary. He was in awe. He told me, “I can hardly take all this in…” I doubt that he heard much that I preached about that morning. “Rip” was waking up – wow was it ever different.

A While Ago…
Another man that I had worked with closely, when he came from Prison a few years back, had a very difficult time making ago of it on the outside. He was my age and had been in jail for more than 50 years – including his time in child custody/juvenile facilities. He had watched all the changes the world had gone through from his TV set inside of jail. Recently I heard that he is back inside again. He couldn’t cope with life out here. This “Rip” did a serious of crimes again and then turned himself to the police. Today, at 63, he is watching more TV each day from his safe place – a prison cell.

The “Public” wants more prison time, harsher sentences to make them feel better and the convict to feel worse. In the end the isolation that we impose on the men going into prison creates a whole new series of problems for “Rips” coming out.

What is sad about this for you? In my case more victims are produced when men commit more crime. Sometimes… many crimes and many victims are produced just because we want to feel better by incarceration. There are other ways to deal with some of these issues of bad guys – in fact I know there are better ways. But Mr. Public needs to feel better and then doesn’t think a whole lot about the future and what might happen later on.

My purpose in writing today is to get you to think a little more about the Modern Rip Van Winkle – Ex-Offenders. This is a cold and long winter. There are many of the “Rips” that I know that are struggling with issues that none of us know about.

Maybe a new slogan should be penned today… “Love a Rip today… prevent more victims tomorrow”.

~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_Van_Winkle