"The Yellow Stream" by I. P. Standing

It may be 4th grade bathroom humor, but I still love that book title and author. Probably because of my memory. It is a marvelous memory: deep, strong, indelible and defining of my identity. I am unsure if it happened once or frequently. It doesn't matter. I don't know how we fit; our bathroom was so tight. This is it: my Dad, myself (age 7 maybe) and my little brother John (age 3 or so) are standing around the toilet, urinating in unison. Similarity and contrast: each of us is clear, firm and accurate in the aim of our streams at the target water; the sound of stream hitting water is music to the ear; my own is modest in comparison with the long, strong force of my Dad's; but substantial in relation to the miniature, tiny dimensions of my brother's. I sense the perfect harmony, hierarchy and order of the world. I am in my own place, which is smaller in one direction but larger in another. I am comforted and elated to be in the shadow of...and imitative of, reflective of, participative in...one so large, good and strong. I feel tender and dear to the other one who is precious and small. I sense my...our masculinity...in a non-conceptual, intuitive manner...as good, worthy, orderly, strong and purposeful. "Man and Woman He created us, in His own image He created us." Some things that are humble, physical and seemingly trivial, distinguish and define us. Only a woman can conceive, carry and give birth. Only a woman can give suck. Only a woman can, fruitfully and honorably, receive the seed of life from Another. Likewise, only a man undergoes an erection, which is: fickle, unpredictable, self-willed, irrepressible, excruciatingly embarrassing, exhilarating, frustrating and not entirely reliable. An erection is at once an icon of our Godliness, our power to love and give life, and our creatureliness and woundedness, as foolish, silly, uncontrollable and ridiculous. Likewise, only a man can urinate in unison with Dad and brother. Such a humble act, done in communion and reverent emulation, is in its own way an image of the Trinity. This is said with all respect for ANALOGY, the similarity is within a far greater dissimilarity. We know that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit do not urinate in unison. But we can be sure that Jesus did with St. Joseph...and he surely enjoyed it...and that is significant!