Rhetoric Versus Caring

Words have consequences. Some are hurled about to make consequence happen. Intentional stirrings of emotion in others. That’s the objective. Trouble is unintended consequences are also stirred. The ripple effect can easily take over and magnify the unintended results rapidly and exponentially.  

Riots start this way. A mere protest is staged. Emotions flare and observers catch the spirit, get involved and the protest swells. Things get out of hand quickly and civil disobedience leads to a little violence, then window breaking, some arson, then large roving mobs of destruction move through a neighborhood at first, then more blocks until the energy burns out. People injured. Property destroyed. Even maybe a fatality or two. All starting from a well intentioned protest soon gone awry. 

In this Internet Age words have additional consequence. They start arguments. Heated exchanges among friends and neighbors. And yes families. Usually these center on public issues with differing views. Soon the public nature of the exchange attracts attention of bystanders watching the internet discussion unfold. They join in. The comments get heated. People stop listening to each other and rhetoric grows out of proportion to the discussion. Soon a full fledged fight is underway, one that settles nothing but reinforces negative feelings and hurt. 

That one paragraph pretty much sums up the dynamics of the Internet for me. A tool of inestimable value used wrongly, even destructively.  Human nature is goaded and accelerated. 

Not that some of the comments are not correct. Or even persuasive. Take this one: 

“The ‘trickle-down’ theory: The principle that the poor, who must subsist on table scraps dropped by the rich, can best be served by giving the rich bigger meals.”

–        William Blum  

Now the example and wording are correct, but they goad people into defensive posture. Let’s parse the quote:

            -designed for reaction: poor; table scraps; rich

            -trickle-down: a real theory at work, at least in politics, but not in academic

             circles

            -giving rich bigger meals: clearly hyperbole designed to incite; feeding from the

             public trough by those not in need 

Defensiveness shuts down ears. They don’t hear the argument being made. The reaction continues the debate with no connection of the participants to the salient facts. Just the emotions. Nothing is accomplished. 

Another quote, this one from Franklin D. Roosevelt:

“We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; we now know that it is bad economics.” 

Good quote. Logical content. Also factual from the academic perspective. But because it was spoken by a sitting President of the US, the comment comes to the public loaded with rhetorical meaning and sub-meaning. Taken this way the statement, although purposeful, is ineffective viewed in the Internet Age. The context speaks volumes. Someone is trying to make a point to counter someone else’s argument. And thus the fight continues. Inflamed! 

Now. Stop. And read. And listen; both with heart and mind. 

America is involved in a delicate phase of becoming itself. Actually we are always becoming something more, something different. Life provides the inputs, and we people churn them out as understanding, gag, rumor, postulate and fad. But we are becoming aware of something, inside and outside of our self. We are processing. 

But we need to really add the component of caring.  

When we care, we attend to our interactions with focus. We try to hear. We try to learn. We try to discern. We also try to speak in a way that we are more certain will be heard and understood.  

This is important. Communication is best when it is intentional. Something we think needs to be stated for someone else to receive. They state a reaction to give us an acknowledgement of receipt of the message. We determine from their response that they did in fact receive our message and capture the meaning as we intended it to be. 

The loop is completed. Message sent, received and acknowledged. 

Public discourse is not that simple. Too many motivations are present: to warp the message intentionally; to mislead; to stir up opposition; to sell a product or service; to earn money from the message; and the list goes on. 

Are we caring enough in our communications? Especially on Facebook, Twitter and Internet? Are we helping people understand or are we part of the emotional backlash? 

I started writing this blog so I could accomplish these objectives:

  a. Explore issues of importance for greater meaning and understanding

            b. Observe current events from my perspective and see if I understood them

            c. Grow my own understanding and world view as I age and coalesce my life’s

                experience

            d. Share all of the above for others to observe and participate in; it was hoped

                the public nature of the discourse would keep me on my toes and honest 

Now I see I am as guilty as others about reacting and emotional commentary. I apologize for that. I can’t promise I’ll be perfectly calm and cool in the future, but I promise to declaim my own nuttiness when it happens, or avoid it altogether! 

Meanwhile, I’ll purpose on to probe understanding this big and complicated world as it continues to unfold. I appreciate you being a part of this journey. Thanks for serving as my jury of peers! 

Thanks for keeping me honest. Now back to less rhetoric and more caring!

May 31, 2012

Summer of Hope

May this be a summer in which Americans finally get it! Here it is, captured neatly by Stephen Colbert:

“If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn’t help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we’ve got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don’t want to do it.” 

Amen, I say! Perhaps we should just admit we are hypocrites and be done with it. But then we will need to shut our traps about a lot of other things as well. Are we ready to do that? 

Here’s another thought, not far from Colbert’s comment, this time from Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899):

“Tolerance is giving to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself.” 

‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,’ remember that biblical phrase, commandment really, and admonition undoubtedly told you many times by your parents while growing up? It is the same phrase today as it was back then. Also the same meaning. Really, it is!  

Why then do we make distinctions among the rich and the poor? The comfortable and the needy? Women and men? Gay and straight? Black and white? Immigrant and native? 

And the last item – immigrant and native – really? Immigrant defines America. Always has. Before we all came to this land, North American Indians lived here; still do. They are the natives. Not us. America is a nation of immigrants. It is what makes us strong. Our diversity. And yet there are narrow minded people who declaim this very principle. Why? Do they feel that threatened? Do they feel that much less than others that they have to denigrate someone else just to make themselves feel better? 

Oh puh-leeese! Get a grip people. Before and after criticism we are the same people. Nothing has changed. We still eat, sleep and work. We still think and feel. We have physical relations with others (that’s sex, folks; a three letter word; it is common to us all!). We have similar DNA. We share a lot of history and cultural heritages; some different a little, some a lot. But we share them in the common pool we call America.  

Why can’t we just get along with one another? Respect each other. Get to know each other. Lend a hand, not grab a handout. Determine what’s in it for us, not me?  

Bernie Sanders, Independent Senator from Vermont has said:

“Let us wage a moral and political war against the billionaires and corporate leaders on Wall Street and elsewhere, whose policies and greed are destroying the middle class of America.” 

Sen. Sanders point is simply, no handouts to billionaires; don’t kill off the middle class, the very people who make everything else possible, who work and create, who save and spend, who raise families and pay taxes, who support the charities and civic work in their towns and villages. They are the market who buys product and makes profits for corporations. They also buy and sell stock as investments for their kids’ education as well as their own retirement. Turning the nation into rich and poor will kill the entire nation. The middle must be saved and nurtured. For everyone’s sake. One plus one makes two; less two makes zero. Pretty simple, huh? 

With Memorial Day 2012 now a memory, summer is here. Let us use these next several months to regain strength and self respect. Let us reacquaint ourselves with family, friends and neighbors. Let us get to know them more fully and allow our differences to percolate and enrich the soil of our social order. 

Fall will come soon enough. But by then let us believe in ourselves again. Trust in our history of equality and justice. Understand that we are in this together. Together we Americans can survive disaster and war, plague and ignorance. We can invent fresh solutions to old problems. But first we have to listen to each other, hear each other, and trust one another.

Let this be the summer that America puts on a new fresh face to the world. We are the land of opportunity and tolerance. We are the land of justice and fairness. Shut down the voices of negativism and illogic. Believe in our possibilities and move forward beyond the fall elections.

Of course I’m a supporter of Obama for re-election. But your vote is your responsibility. I just ask that you examine your core beliefs and be true to them as an American. Reject the hypocrisy. Cancel out the intolerance and hate. Vote for truth and justice.

May your summer be one of discovery and victory over prejudice!

May 30, 2012

Be All You Can Be

Today’s title is more than a U.S. Army recruiting slogan from a few years back. It’s an admonition and suggestion that holds wisdom.  

I pulled a quote from the Internet; this one is signed but illegible so I cannot properly assign credit for it; just know it is not my original idea. Here it is:

“Be weird. Be random. Be who you are. Because you never know who would love the person you hide.”

Powerful words, no? You are you in all of your doubt and splendor. Let it be. Explore it. Dare to show it. Growth comes from letting it happen. And the evolving person – spirit – will surprise and delight! 

Ellen DeGeneres said it this way:

“Find out who you are and be that person. That’s what your soul was put on this Earth to be. Find that truth, live that truth and everything else will come.” 

That is hard work to do, but it is worth the effort. It also is fun. Like a treasure hunt and the prize is – you! Unraveling the knotted mass of thoughts and impulses is a real person with purpose and destiny. Learning what that is excites all sorts of thinking and creativity. You are not inventing yourself really, just learning who you are and what you can be. The process, by the by, is not just for the young; it is for each of us. So many phases we live through, each new to us as we encounter the phase for the first time. You might be nine or ninety at the time. Still, it is a new experience from which we can learn much. Be not afraid! Let these things unfold. 

It will turn out OK in the end. You need to experience the newness of exploration. You will make missteps. And others will talk; sure they will. But why should we care? 

Medea (Tyler Perry’s created persona, not the Greek Medea!) stated it succinctly:

“Honey, folks are gonna’ talk about you till the day you die…,and aint’ nothing you can do. Let Folks Talk. It ain’t about what they call you, it’s what you answer to. You remember that. You hear me?” 

We talk to ourselves, don’t we? Inside talk. Private talk. “What did I do that for?” “What does that mean?” “I just wish I could……”  A lot of private thoughts ramble around our brains. In some ways it’s the real me – you. These are the thoughts that can build toward full personhood. They are the inner sparks that need nurture – permission – to mature to working ideas upon which lives are built. These voices are precious. Protect them. Value them. 

Uncovering what is important to you is a core activity. It is often put off. It is left undetected. Key moments dredge them up for consideration. Crisis is often a key moment. It is a test. We don’t know what is happening, or at least why it is happening. We search for meaning and cause and a way to manage it. We struggle. We worry over it. Don’t we? We are being honest here, right? We do struggle with these things, right? These inner voices which form the core of who we are, who I am, at any given moment? 

To me this is the grist of life, the grit, too. It is the hard kernel that needs cracking and milling to be of value, of use to me. Or to anyone else, as well.  

Such is the stuff of life that gives us meaning and, ……worth. Purpose. Even belief. Dare I say the word ‘religion’? 

A wise man said,

       “When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion.”

 – Abraham Lincoln 

You have to love Lincoln’s simplicity, directness. Just keep doing good as best you can; and avoid the bad as best you will. The rest will happen as it is meant to be. And along with it you will become the jewel your were destined to become. Let it shine. Let it sparkle. 

I wish you well on this path. This is your journey. We each have one of our own. Tread it carefully or with courage. Whatever you do, tread it. Follow its path. All the way to its end.

May 29, 2012

Remember This!

This is Memorial Day. A special day. One in which we remember those who have gone before us and died. Usually military personnel who gave their all to follow orders they believed would save their nation, their families. Their form of government, too; democracy with a special global meaning. American democracy.

The US Constitution. The Bill of Rights. The whole nine yards.

They did a fine job then. Wonder if they would support what’s happening now, though? Their sacrifice for those who demean America by way of their warped beliefs? Their take on what democracy is, what religion is, what the Constitution is. Wow! How far has the great American ‘experiment’ strayed?

I think pretty far.

Before I go on, I will repeat for the record, I am gay. I am spiritual/religious. I was raised firmly in the Christian culture. I am a church go-er. I am involved in the life of my community. I care. I share. I help others. I am a person of value.

Now I’m going to get edgy. If that bothers you, stop reading this post immediately. I am going to speak my mind and I don’t want to insult you or anyone.  I just want to get this off my chest.  Here goes.

The Bible is an ancient book of wisdom endowed with and by millennia of hope and faith. It is a valuable resource. Not for everyone, but still a beacon of wisdom not to be taken lightly. To many it is holy writ. To others it is an early book of history. To still others it is a guide to living life through thick and thin regardless of the century or the millennium in which you find yourself.

But to billions of people the Bible is not The Book. There are many religions on the planet. So the Bible does not speak to everyone. Nor should it. They have their own symbols and holy writs that guide them. And who are we to dispute their authorities?

And in America, the Bible has special significance. We take oaths on the Bible. We take authority on justice and religious rites from the Bible. But the Bible is not The Authority in America. The US Constitution is. And the Bible is not mentioned in it.

Our elected officials take their oaths of office to support the constitution, not the Bible. In fact, the Bill of Rights defines the religious freedom, both for and from. It is secondary to the US Constitution in that regard.

Therefore, public figures including politicians who use the Bible as a wedge authority or issue in the court of public opinion are guilty of heinous and dishonest behavior.

If you believe everything in the Bible, then live your own life accordingly. Preach and nurture your family and friends in the mythology of the Bible. But keep it within your associations of friends and family.

Just keep it out of our government. And laws.

The Constitution is our guidepost for making laws and keeping them fair and just. Not the Bible. The President of the United States must follow the dictates of the Constitution, and in fact must keep the Bible out of it, by law (Bill of Rights and Supreme Court rulings). The President must work to ensure equal treatment for all people in our nation.

I support equal rights in marriage for gays and straights. The Bible does not define this adequately; it has been interpreted and misinterpreted so many times I’d be stunned to learn if the Bible says exactly what so many religious people claim it to say. The Constitution does not define marriage, either.

Marriages are of two kinds: first, religious ritual and recognition authorized by religious institutions; and second, contractual relationship established by state law and abided by in federal agencies (IRS, military, Social Security, Medicare, etc.). States don’t need the authority of the Bible to institute contractual relationships between two loving people who pledge their troth to each other. Churches do. States don’t. Same for the Federal Government.

And no, the President is not throwing out the Bible or Christianity or any other religion when he opens the contractual rights of marriage to people of same gender. He is following the authority he has sworn to uphold.

So pastors, ministers, priests and churches, conservatives, Republicans, Christians, Muslims and others: live your lives by your dictates and let others do the same. The authorities you give fidelity to are your choice; not mine nor billions of others. You are very much in the minority in time and history and legal discourse. So please live as though you know that. You are smart and able to do so. Now act in accordance with that intelligence.

I’m just saying my piece. You can believe what you want. So can I. And I cannot enforce it on you; nor can you enforce your belief on me.

So many have died to give us this freedom. Did they die in vain?

Thank you very much for listening!

May 28, 2012

Watching the Markets

Exuberance is catching. All I ask is that we believe in ourselves and move forward. Believe that Americans can invent themselves out of any pickle. And do it with gusto!

This is the Memorial Day Weekend. What better time to get a fresh wind? It’s the end of spring and the beginning of summer. The weather has been stupendously beautiful! Warmer than normal. Just the right amount of rain so the world is green, green, green. The birds are singing. Kids are exploring their fresh outdoor world and getting ready for summer romps and adventures. The dog is delighted in the fresh smells. The wind roaring outside the car window is intoxicating. The ears and fur are flung straight back but the eyes sparkle through the eyelid slits.

Memorial Day is a time to remember our fallen heroes. Those soldiers who gave their lives so their America would prosper and go on to new heights of quality of life, freedom, creativity and assistance to the less fortunate; be they individuals or nations. Our fallen soldiers believed in us, the US, the America of their childhood. The possible with a capital P. They believed the best of America is ahead of us, not behind us.

So now is a good time. We have scads of available land. All the more to develop. We have an abundant inventory of previously owned homes. Prices are low and alluring. First time home buyers should be having a field day! Empty nesters should be able to sell their homes, downsize for the adventures ahead of them, and ample supplies of smaller homes await their new life chapter.

New careers beckon. New education degrees – from high school to college and graduate degrees in specialized fields. We are learning more. We are tooled for adapting to new technology, new visions of the global markets, and fresh new vistas of personal ‘can-dos’. We can do this. We can move ahead.

Watch the stock market. Catch the trends? Up one day, down the next? Skitterish? Worried about slowing markets? Concerned about Greece’s debt management? The Euro zone is wobbly? Stock prices swinging wildly. On what basis? On whose say so?

Why the market experts of course. They opine daily about too vigorous regulation. They complain daily about market interference from government. They seek certainty but glory in risk taking. Look at me! I’m the hero who will bring sanity to this market. They say this with fists pounding their chests. The all knowing look and hint of smile.

What are they smiling about? I’m not sure but I’m wondering if they think they have cornered the market on smart? Do they really think we don’t know what they are doing? Bleat praises about something good so the market rises. They sell stocks. Claim doom and gloom; the market falls. They buy stocks at low prices. Suddenly the signs are promising. The market rises. They sell again. 

Buy low; sell high. Whose doing this? The so called experts are. They are whooping and marshalling market sentiments. They are reading the tea leaves one way while manipulating the rest of us in another way. They win. We lose. And the turmoil continues.

I’m saying it is about time that America believes in itself again and takes action. There is a lot of work to be done. We excel at work. We find new tools to beat the odds. We invent new technology to make the work easier and more profitable. We solve problems. We invent new products. And services. We are inventive and creative. We are free and so we can do. 

We would do well in not listening to the naysayers. We would do well in listening to the small voice that is inside each of us. It is time to shed the armor of doubt and step forward. 

Don’t like the job market? Invent your own job and start doing it. Don’t like the news? Change it. Make better things happen. Don’t hide from it. Don’t ignore it. Don’t give in to it. 

The air is fresh in the morning. A new day. To explore and live in. And there is a huge cheering section ready to give you a leg up! 

Be glad for these times. They are filled with opportunities. All for you! 

Anonymous said it best: “The only person you should try to be better than, is the person you were yesterday.” 

Believe it. Believe in yourself. 

May 27, 2012

 

Albert Einstein

Dr. Einstein is famous for his scientific talents, mathematical brilliance, and stunning philosophical mind. He conquered complex concepts. He simplified them so others could understand them. He helped millions benefit from the resulting creativity. He truly changed the world. And for the better.

Consider this quote from Albert Einstein:

“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” 

I think his statement is a stunner. It cuts to the bone of many ideas I’ve written about in this blog.  

Each of us has value. We do because we have ability. To do things. To know things. To take action.

If we listen to political debates and read background articles, we can gather what the content of those offerings mean. We can analyze the material and make a judgment. And then, when the time comes, we can make an informed vote.

Not voting is an abrogation of our responsibility. Not reading or listening or using our brain is an abrogation of our responsibility. Not following through on what we know is an abrogation of responsibility. Our responsibility.

Our nation created a form of government that relies on the citizenry to be informed, educated and involved in its own governance. Taking part in campaigns is part of that. Keeping up on the issues is part of that. Voting is part of that.

Avoiding any part of that disappoints your role as a citizen of an open, free democracy.

Non participation actually hands over your government to those you do not trust or believe in. 

The same dynamic is true in taking action on many other things. What Einstein said is, evil results because others don’t do what they should.

A child is aimlessly walking in the street; traffic is bearing down on him/her. You, seeing the impending peril, stop what you are doing and reach for the child, and bring him/her back to the safety of the sidewalk. Evil has been averted.

A suspicious package is spotted in a public place. It appears out of place. You wonder a bit and then call the police and report your suspicion. A bomb squad arrives and removes the package. It was someone’s lunch bag forgotten at a bus stop. It was not a bomb. But what if it had been? Good job reporting the suspicion.

The kids in your neighborhood have too much time on their hands. They hang around. They seem restless. You talk to them and learn there is no program for them to attend that would form a baseball team, or a musical group. You talk to the Park District and they tell you of programs that are available. You return to the kids and let them know. You help them with rides to the Park District. You decide to coach a team. You direct some of the kids to a church looking for some musicians to form a group. You got involved and helped young lives become better directed.

Without these quiet forms of leadership or involvement, less would get done. Lives would likely be less full, maybe even endangered. Sitting down with some youth, even the ones that make you uncomfortable (they dress funny! Or bear body piercings! Or talk in strange phrases!); sit with them; listen to them. Ask a question or two? What do you want to do five years from now? What would you like to be doing with your life?

Find out their answers. And listen closely to them. You might be astonished to learn they are very much like you 30 or 40 years ago. They just talk differently. But they yearn in similar ways you did when you were their age. They want to be special. They want to be useful. They want to experience life more fully.

And you can help them. You can make something happen that will change their lives. In very elemental ways.  

But the opposite could happen, too. If you don’t take the first steps. If you don’t, will there be someone else who does? Probably not; at least you can’t count on there being another person to do it. You are here; now. So why not take that step?

Doing nothing is not a good answer. Leaving it up to someone else is a crap shoot. With big consequences. A generation in peril. It’s up to you.

Albert Einstein said so. 

May 26, 2012

Keep At It

So, you’re driving down the road and someone cuts in front of you a little too close. You back off by instinct. A little surprised they’d do that. Did they misjudge the distance? Did he not see you clearly? Or was he pushing his way around like a pig? Did he do it intentionally? What’s going on?

I think more than we would surmise, actually. What we do instinctively is react defensively, to protect. Then we try to make sense of it. What happened? Why? Did I do something I shouldn’t have? Or did the other driver? 

This thinking process is productive as long as we learn how to avoid difficulties in the future. Can we identify a peril beforehand and guard against it? Not be a victim on the one hand or the cause of an accident on the other? 

Where the thinking process goes awry is when we assess blame. At that point things begin to go off track. We cannot control the other person’s actions. We can control how we let those actions affect us. It is natural to react. How well we react and reacquire self control is our business. 

Playing the blame game hurts only the self. It feels good for a short time; but then it begins to eat at you, from the inside out! It doesn’t really help you get anywhere useful. Letting loose of the hurt is healthy. First we have to recognize it as a hurt. 

From the Internet: “Stop holding on to what hurts and make room for what feels good.” 

A good thought to work with. And work it will take to determine what it is that hurts. It is not always easy to do that. But once done, toss it out and prepare for the good stuff! We can do that. Only I can do that for myself. You too.

As I work out thoughts I’m not sure if my conclusions are correct. Am I premature in making a conclusion? Is there more information needed to make a better summation of the matter? Can it be improved? What am I trying to prove, and to whom? Myself or other? And then, of course, why am I doing this?

Because it helps me deal with the world as it is. I am driven to understand it. To make sense of it. But that is difficult, isn’t it? What ideas work well, and which don’t? Which get in the way and why? Is the full context being accounted for? Am I missing something big or little? Is it important or not?

And then what do you do with this understanding once I feel comfortable that it is a truth? Do I share it? Do I keep it to myself? What do I do with it? 

Sharing is a way of working with the idea and ‘proving it out’. Rubbing an idea against the thinking of others is a good test of its wholeness. Reactions are not always accepting, but they are helpful. They let me know how to rethink the idea or improve on it so it is more useful to others.  

Mohandas Ghandhi said: “Many people, especially ignorant people, want to punish you for speaking the truth, for being correct, for being you. Never apologize for being correct, or for being years ahead of your time. If you’re right and you know it, speak your mind. Speak your mind. Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is still the truth.”

The truth may make you free, but it is also lonely. Dealing with that is another challenge. At least you are doing the work that is important to you and avoided by others. It will be your job to help them understand the more complex things in life. It’s a good thing; not easy, but good. For you and them.

 

Keep at it.

 
May 25, 2012

Creating Good Things, Not Sound Bites

What do we need at these levels of social interaction?

Local (Municipal and County):

            Strong education infrastructure

            Strong public infrastructure: roads, water and sewer, streets, traffic controls, etc.

            Arts and Culture: access, education, performance/exhibit, nurture

            Public Safety: police, fire

            Criminal justice system

            Strong public institutions: library, parks, churches, charities, service

                  organizations

            Stable and equitable finances 

State:

            Strong public infrastructure: highways, water/sewer/Stormwater management

            Public safety: police, criminal justice system, prisons, emergency management

            Sound financial footing for all state operations, agencies

            Public health systems; access to

            Public Education: primary/secondary and higher education systems

            Public pensions fair, equitable and soundly financed

            Regional economic development, public welfare

            Environmental protection and regulation 

National:

            National defense

            International relations and peace building

            National education goals, nurture of achievement

            Science and Space research and development

            Emergency management

            Economic development and stability

            Money and Banking systems sound

            Criminal Justice system sound

            Health and Welfare initiatives and system access, financial soundness

            Pension access and financial safety

            National public infrastructure support: highways, bridges, air, rail, water/sewer

and Stormwater systems

            Environmental Protection

This is a partial list but a good start on cataloguing the functions of each level of government. Scanning the lists for each of the three levels of government, repetition and specialization of similar functions become obvious. Coordinating these points of intersection is also a function of the governments involved.

Scanning the lists again we can identify probable needs for each of the functions, each of the government levels. Why? Because things are not perfect at any given time for all things. The continuum of effort toward a high standard of achievement is an on-going presence in government management circles. Competing issues and scarce financial resources limit what can be done at any given time. So, needs exist.

Knowing how prevalent these needs are and how far reaching the needs have become are important if the public can reasonably expect good management to persist in these areas. Each need should be understood regarding their affect on other operating areas of governance. Setting intelligent priorities to each of the needs is important if society is going to make progress on the problems in an orderly and logical manner.

Designing solutions is an important management phase of these issues. Why? Because interdependency of the issues suggest common sets of facts, common functional systems, and sharing among the three government levels. Efficiencies can be obtained. Resources can be efficiently managed and waste limited. Creative ideas can be shared and applied to the management tools.

As issue management moves toward solutions, two things become transparent: complexity and interdependence of all of these matters, and the commonality of creating workable solutions and management systems for each issue area.

That last paragraph is important. Especially in a period of elections and campaigns.

Setting workable goals within a reasonable timeframe is important. Setting priorities is important. Getting down to work is vital. Electioneering is distracting and counterproductive.

When candidates campaign they should produce ideas, proposed goals and policy and program proposals that support goal achievement. Critical comments about the status quo is not helpful. We know what the problems are. Solving them is the objective. How would you do it? What are your ideas? In what priority order would you solve the problems?

This is the information voters need to make candidate decisions. Nothing else.

The rest of campaign rhetoric is noise and distraction. Ideological argument is unnecessary. So political parties take note, so too candidates. Tell us what you can and will do. Tell us why that is important. And then sell the idea. Do not tell us why the other candidate won’t be as good as you. Let the value of your ideas tell the voters that!

If voters demand that of all candidates, our society would be focused on problem solving. It would help the public understand the scope of the problems and the cost to manage them. Priorities help everyone understand what can be done in a given timeframe with available resources. If the latter are insufficient, the problem either awaits a better time or is defined out of the current work load.

In any case elections would be more informative, creative, and accountable. Campaign costs would decline and further reduce special interest influence.

From the Optimism Revolution comes this quote:

            “I choose to live by choice, not by chance

            To be motivated, not manipulated

            To be useful, not used

            To excel, not compete

            I choose self-esteem, not self pity

            I choose to listen to my inner voice

            Not to the random opinion of others.” 

Can we make these happen? How?

May 24, 2012

Miscellany

A smattering of thoughts today. Some from the Internet thanks to Rocky. Some from my own labyrinth of thought. Some items may appear related. Others not. So here they are in no particular order. 

• Anonymous (of course it is; why so many of these on the Internet?):

“Having a rough morning? Place your hand over your heart.

Feel that? That’s called purpose. You’re alive for a reason.

Don’t Give Up.” 

There are times in life that try me. Either there are too many negatives battering me, or too few positives. The question of  “why try” pops to mind in those cases. But each time the positives return and deter me from the negatives. To be of use. Again: To Be Of Use.

That short phrase sums up my purpose. Don’t know why. Can’t argue it. It just is.

• Again from the Internet:

“Reading a book about anti-gravity. It’s impossible to put down.”

 

Cute. Just cute. Thought you might like it.

• Another Internet find:

       “Dear kid bullying the only openly gay boy in class,

  I dare you to lay a finger on him.

            Sincerely, the linebacker with two amazing dads.”

I love this one! Has just the right bite. A little justice here, a pinch of logic there. Yes. Just right, I think. Maybe a bit too forceful, but…justice is a hard thing to discern. 

• James Madison, in a speech to the Congress when introducing the Bill of Rights:

        “The civil rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or
        worship, nor shall any national religion be established, nor shall the full and
        equal rights of conscience be in any manner, or on any pretext, infringed.”

Seems pretty clear to me. Our nation was founded on the principle of religious freedom. You can believe and worship as you see fit and believe. Your beliefs are not to be put on anyone else. Those others are to believe as they wish in freedom from your beliefs; even if your beliefs are not religious in any manner. We are all free to think and believe what we will. Placing on others the dictates of someone’s religious beliefs is simply not allowed. No laws. No legislation. Those are internal to the churches.

• Anonymous:

     “Oh, it says gay marriage is a sin in the Bible?

Wonderful, now show me where it says so in the constitution.”

This is merely putting into action the previous quote. Enough said. 

• From www.livelifehappy.com:

“There are two things you shouldn’t waste your time on:

 things that don’t matter and people that think you don’t matter.”

There are topics that grab our attention for some reason. They clamp onto our consciousness. They riddle our day with distractions. They pull us off our game. Most often they are of little consequence. If that’s true, then they don’t really matter. Now on the other hand, if a person thinks you don’t matter, that’s simple to note. Forget both and concentrate on what really matters. Seek people who matter to you.

• President Barack Obama:

“And even if we did have only Christians in our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools? Would we go with James Dobson’s or Al Sharpton’s? Which passages of Scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests slavery is okay and that eating shellfish is an abomination? How about Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount – a passage that is so radical that it’s doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application? So before we get carried away, let’s read our Bibles. Folks haven’t been reading their Bibles.”

I’ve been saving this one for quite a while. So much for the Rev. Wright controversy. Or anyone else’s imposition of their religious interpretation onto others.  Isn’t it hard enough knowing our own minds let alone minding someone else’s? Why does this bother people so? Are they so certain of their religious certainty? Wow. So many theologians. Who would have thought? 

• Charles Darwin:

       "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that

       survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” 

So many views of right and wrong. So many judges. So little justice. When will we get these things right? 

May 23, 2012

Trudging Forward

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered:

“Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.” 

Is that what I’m doing? You?  

I can honestly say I did do that in the past. Not so much today. I’ve learned some lessons, after all!  Took long enough. But they have been learned well. I only forget them occasionally.  

I smoked to excess for far too many years; ended up with emphysema. I drank too much for several years; wound up in rehab and now sober for 6 years. Worked 24/7 because there was so much to do; got paid pretty well for that; also reaped many personal rewards that had not dollar value attached! But health gave way eventually. And worry and stress. Now that I have been broken in, and down I’m ready for the rest of my life. And it’s all good. Broke maybe; down and out, not at all! 

Focused is a better state of things. I know who I am now better than any time in the past. And I know what today is better than anything else! The future is to be planned for the good of others. Just not for me. And that gives me freedom to know the present. 

The Dalai Lama is oh so correct.  

The present is used to make money, earn a living, do so in a way that rewards the inner self (we call that career aspirations!). It should not be about financial reward. Nice if it comes along; but not necessary. Not really. 

There are practical issues of course: raising kids, caring for their health and well being; good diet, adequate housing, as good an education as possible; and love and tender loving care. Spousal nurture, too; it is the bedrock of the family and kids and home life. Smelling the roses and coffee; hearing birdsong; feeling breezes in the hair and on the face. Sensing the warming rays of the sun whenever through the year – winter and summer! 

The present gives us quality of life we seek at other times. We may be too busy to know that. So take the time to feel it out. Make it happen in your life. Share it with others so they, too, have the same sense of the present. Make it yours, the family’s. 

Good health is often valued when you don’t have it. But ill health can be survived well enough. Just don’t dwell on it. Dwell on understanding and appreciating the present. 

The future does belong to those who prepare for it; but not all out, please! Think kindly on the future. Know that today’s work leads us to the future; but it is not all or nothing. The present remains the asset we must consume well if futures will be. 

Rooting the self in the past/present/future takes involvement with others. Kindling those relationships and nurturing them is critical to getting along in the world and making sense of the world, all at the same time. Give people a chance and they will usually not disappoint. Some will; they are the minority. They are the wounded who cannot help but take advantage of others. But they suffer from this. They lessen their health and happiness. They do not know it then; but later….. 

Moving forward…into the future…into what will be is a large challenge. It will take discipline and hope and deep thought. The kind that comes from appreciating the past and the present. Both tenses teach us what to expect. But we can improve on it. If we try. If we hope and think. 

Not all people of our acquaintance will remain with us throughout the journey. They will come and go according to their abilities and dispositions. They will partner and support. They will criticize and strengthen our thinking. They will be short term or long term. But they will not be in our control, not ever. 

Part of understanding relationships is knowing when it is over. Some will last a lifetime. Others only a week or a month. The when is not in your hands. Maybe not in the other’s, either. But we must let them go so they journey on and we trudge our path to the future.  

It’s OK. Do not fret. Value, yes; regret, no. 

Tony McCollum of www.livelifehappy.com has said:

“When people walk away from you, let them go. Your destiny is never tied to anyone who leaves you, and it doesn’t mean they are bad people. It just means that their part in your story is over.” 

And the story, your story, continues on. And for each of us, too. 

May 22, 2012

Minding Evil

Thoughts recur in my mind. Year after year. Sometimes monthly.  

One of them is The Holocaust; no, not that exactly. What looms in thought is what makes mankind so capable of evil? The Holocaust is the penultimate symbol of evil. In our historical life time. It is relatively recent; 1930’s and 1940’s. The Second World War. Our parents and grandparents fought the war. The Greatest Generation saved the world from evil incarnate. 

That’s what I’m talking about. I know time marches on and the youngest among us don’t know what we are talking about unless they have reached that part in world history class. But history records it and won’t let us forget it. The Holocaust. The Evil. 

There are those who deny The Holocaust occurred. They are deniers of truth and fact. It was real. Man can be that cruel. That unfeeling. This is what looms in my mind. I cannot shake it. It is always there. 

I’m a person of hope. Is hope the absence of evil? Not quite. But they are polar opposites I think. If evil is the point, what is the purpose of life? No, the opposite of evil is the purpose of life. We live to give lie to evil. And that comes mainly from our power to hope. 

Or love. Caring about an other. Stepping outside one’s self to experience the other. And learn to free self of inhibition. To drink in the other. To love it; to embrace what is not in the self. Otherness. Caring. Loving. Hoping. 

Not evil.  

The Holocaust reminds us of the abyss. The deepest, darkest moment of life. Of terror. Of meaninglessness. It was real. It means we are still capable of repeating history. Will we allow this? Could we possibly let another holocaust happen? 

One wants to believe it not possible. But you and I know that it is possible. What does it take? Carelessness? Selfishness? Not paying attention? Not standing up to basic questions of honesty and truth? Of faithfulness and loyalty to others and ideals?  

I worry that the unthinkable can happen. Not the death and destruction. No, the unfairness; the un-rightness. The nothingness of it. The dead will not feel the pain or horror but in their last instant. But the rest of us will live the on-going terror that we let it happen.  

Taliban. Mujahedin. Muslim extremists. Syria. Despots of Egypt. Fallen Libyan leaders. Belarus. Warlords and tribes of Middle Eastern deserts. African warlords. Somalia. Chad. The list goes on. A globe on fire with death. Holocausts all. Cancers of hate.

This is the business of NATO. This is the abyss we are attempting to avoid. How does collaboration approach this goal? Is it effective? Are there leaders to push it to success? Or are we nations too inward to know, to reach out and save others from the abyss? So that we all may avoid the same. 

And yet there are protestors of G8 countries and their periodic meetings; and of NATO conferences where differences are ironed out and futures mapped out. Where strengths are focused on helping people of lesser means, those who will become the cause célèbre  of the next holocaust? We must help them. We must build world peace. We must share the load with others. That’s how we all learn to get along. That is the building of peace, one idea at a time, one brick at a time, one dollar at a time. So lives will be saved. So futures will be saved. 

For all of our sakes. 

The Holocaust happened. It taught us. Have we learned? 

May 21, 2012

 

Driving Miss Willow

The limpid eyes get me every time. They see into me; past the scrim of pretend social civility. They see past the eyeballs into the mind, into the feelings. They know what I’m thinking. And of course I’m thinking how beautiful this animal is; how gentle; how loving. 

Calm. Accepting. Patient. 

She has all these assets working, all the time. Her name is Willow. She is 7 years old. A Lhasa Apso weighing 11 pounds. Trim. Beautiful. Honey coat of wavy non-shedding hair. Brown, brown eyes, round and steady. Round brown button nose. Bowlegged front legs, wide stance confidence. Certainty of purpose. She is our alarm dog! 

Just like the role played by the breed in Nepal for the Dali Llama. A clatter of toe nails on hard surface floors; a scrabbling to the source of a sound; or a flash of movement. Deep growling voice wakes the unattentive! Willow is on guard. And vicious facial expressions presented. Be ye most careful all ye who present themselves unannounced; or not! 

The moment you are in her presence, however, she flops over on her back, mewls for attention, squeezes out a few drops of pee (I know it is indelicate, but it is a fact!), and tries to lick your hand, leg, feet and face as quickly as possible. She is a lover. For all to see. 

There are two humans in our household. She loves both of us. Equally. One feeds her all of the time. One walks her most of the time. But she shares her attention with both of us. Sitting in a cuddle on or near the lap for one of us, moving to the other for another nap chance later in the day. At night she spends time with each of us on the bed. First one then the other. Of course she lavishes attention and time with me because I am a sound and quiet sleeper. I don’t roll around and disturb her. So she cuddles in; tucks up against a leg or arm. So calming. Reassuring that all is OK. What a sheer comfort to our lives. 

When it is time for a walk, Willow tells us. When it is time for breakfast or dinner, she is on the alert and let’s us know she’s ready. When we put on shoes or sandals, she expects either a walk, or, dare I mention it? …a ride in the car? Oh boy! A ride! Let me at that travel leash. Let’s get to the garage and the car! Now. Don’t you even think of leaving me behind! 

Willow will travel with us on a prolonged ride into the country. We used to do that frequently but now money is scarce and we do it rarely. Still, she wants to share the time with us, and look out the window and the moving scenery. She shakes like a leaf. We have never figured that out. By now, though, she can’t possible think we are taking her away from us or to a hurtful place. Those are both in her past. You see, Willow is a rescue. How anyone could have abused this beautiful soulful being is beyond us. Just thinking of it makes us weep. 

No, Willow just doesn’t get the car ride thing. Evidently it is all about being with us, not apart. And she puts up with whatever stress so she can share the time. Strangely, she acts as though she knows when the ride is half over and we are on the return trip. We often don’t know that ourselves; our rides are free form; mini adventures. But somehow she knows. The shakes disappear. She cuddles more deeply in the lap of convenience and almost takes a nap.

She is special; for herself and for us. She has made these past 4 years a treat. Through the thick and thin of our personal challenges and woes, Willow has made it wonderful. I honestly can’t imagine what it would have been like without her.  

Willow is a blessing to us. And to our neighbors. And to her dog friends. There are many who know Willow. She belongs to all of us, not just one. But we belong to her. No doubt about it. 

No doubt at all. 

May 20, 2012

Intersections

How do we meet one another? In everyday life and at the extraordinary moments? Are we alert? Or are we texting, sleepwalking, or merely inattentive?  

With sure step we propel forward to do the work of our day. We commute to the office, or we work from home, or line up the errands of retired life. In any case there is an order to the day. We know what we are about that day or this. There is purpose. 

Along the way, what happens? We buy a cup of coffee; hot to handle; sugar and cream added just right; lid precariously scrunched to not leak; balanced with all the other stuff we carry. Then onward we trudge to work. 

We shuffle along the sidewalk after alighting the train; we push through the revolving door of our building. Then the elevators and jostle of flesh with the other riders. A soft ting and the car stops, doors bumpity open and some of the people exit, including me. Shuffle down the corridor to my door and office suite. In at last! Now to the desk. 

Along the way I’ve met the coffee vendor, the news vendor, other commuters, train conductor, more commuters, pedestrians from the station to the office building; and now a more select group of commuters as they become my colleagues at work. 

More people are met. The receptionist, office mate, boss, department secretary, oops pardon me – the executive assistant. Clients over the phone. Company colleagues in other cities over email. A meeting in the conference room; a staff meeting later in the same space. More clients with questions and needs to fill. 

Then the reverse commute. The weather fine this day so no worries of cold or damp or wind. Maybe a little too much sun, but lots of fresh air. A pleasure commute today! And finally to the destination rail depot, then the walk to the garage to find my car and mush my way out through traffic to the street, and haltingly then home. My driveway and garage. Open the door and greet the dog, the kids and the spouse. They’re ready for supper. I’m ready for bed but after a few hugs. More people with needs. Mine, too. 

The intersections of one day. And how much detail has this recounting missed? How much living did I skip over? A lifetime’s worth, in each intersection. The career preparation, the career professional depth, the personal knowledge of each co worker and client contact. So very much in each contact. Each a person. Each a story. Each a chapter to pursue in the book of just this week’s life journey. 

Recall this quote I included in this blog a week or so ago:

            “Before you judge my life, my past or my character…

            Walk in my shoes, walk the path I have traveled;

            Live my sorrow, my doubts, my fear, my pain and my laughter…

            Remember: Everyone has a story.

 When you’ve lived my life then you can judge me.”

                                                            Anonymous 

It is enriches us to think on this quotation. It bolsters our sense of self and growth and journey; our progress on the path we have chosen. It also strengthens the worth of others as they, like us, strive against so many odds to make their journey a good one. We are not alone in our travels or efforts; neither are the others on their treks through life. 

Before I close this post, take this thought and ponder it. The America’s Edge organization shared this factoid with me minutes ago. I think it is a challenge for our future but also a reminder of where we have come from:

28 percent of high school students do not graduate on time with a high school diploma, yet between 2008 and 2018, half of all new jobs nationwide created will require some type of formal education beyond high school. Proven investments in children, such as early learning and career academy programs, are critical in ensuring that we develop the necessary skills employers need.
                                                       --Editorial Projects in Education. (2011)

Sobering. We have done much. Each of us and with the help of so many others. We have ours to do with our significant others as well. And yet the rest of our national family needs to attend to their journey as well.  

How can we help make the best happen?

May 19, 2012

Bad With Good

I’m in a pensive mood. I’m glancing out the patio doors. It is barely 5 AM. The light is still mostly dark; sun has not arrived as yet. But enough light to see the tree tops swaying in a crisp spring morning. The temp is 51 degrees. The humidity is low for this hour – 50%. It will be a cool, breezy sunny spring day. Delightful.

Yesterday was 87 degrees, sunny and humidity low at 25%. But the day before was similar, a little cooler, 73; humidity was an astonishing 18%, a record for Illinois in the usually damp spring! 

Breezy, snappy dry air. Full sun. Cloudless skies. Purely glorious and filled with bird song if you listen. 

Now this is good. The weather is perfect in every regard. The aromas of spring are everywhere: sweet grass, freshly mown lawns, warming damp soil, flowering shrubs and nectaring trees. A fresh but sweet smell that bolsters my step!

In spite of this I have a friend narrowing to his life’s end. A trip of pain and sorrow, a reluctant leave taking, really. Bittersweet because it cannot be avoided, but life is still a treat, still a joy, making all the more a langorous exit… He is still young at 62. Too early. 

And an elderly friend at hospital; she is 93. Another friend we lost at Thanksgiving at age 73. Another in April at 59. These are the ‘bad’ we live with even as the skies are bright and airy. 

And the city prepares for the NATO meetings this weekend and the expected protests which have led to so much personal injury and property damage in the past. That’s not the feared; the violence is. The starkness of anger and hurt and upset of private lives; the juxtaposition of peace and violence. A knife cut in our life. Sudden. Unwanted. But there. 

And political campaigns waged with vitriol and ill humor. No discussion of issues. Just barbs flung at broad targets. Hit or miss is not the point; the endless slamming without fact or logic. Just keep the landscape roiled and unsettled. There are people who make their living doing this! How ugly. How pointless. Selfish, yes; of value, no.

But the ebb and flow of life goes on. We do our jobs. We help our friends and family. We visit folk in hospital. We plant a garden, or sweep a walkway. Water a plant and write a letter. Send emails. Write blogs. Edit a newspaper, pulling the stories of individual and group lives into print; sharing them with others to instruct lives rather than entertain. Life goes on in dizzying array.

And yet the good happens; so does the bad. The breeze delivers freshness and hope. A new tomorrow with new beginnings and possibilities. Ever the hope. The threshold of…?

May 18, 2012

Saying Goodbye?

Visited a friend in the hospital yesterday. She’s 93 and lovely. High spirited. Sharp. Involved in life. She is our hostess with the mostess at church; opens the church at 6:30 am most Sundays. Makes the coffee; lays out the refreshments; organizes the kitchen for all who will follow that day. She places fresh water at the pulpit for the pastor. She makes sure the bulletins are collated and arranged for the ushers. She is “Miss Prep” at our church. 

Oh, and she is Mrs. Smile, too. A little bit of a thing. Sweet and loving. She seems to know each hug by name, especially yours. 

We stopped by her home three weeks ago to drive her to church. She had phoned to say she hadn’t slept and wouldn’t be going to church, but please stop by to pick up a tin of cookies for the coffee hour. We’d make the coffee and see after the usual chores. Trouble was, she didn’t respond to our knock, or the doorbell, or our frantic phone calls.

So off to church to spread the word and seek help. Pastor called her daughter and left a message that something wasn’t right. Then pastor called the police and requested a wellness check. I went back to her home to meet the police. 

After extended knocking (rather loudly!) our little lady friend came to the door, weak, sagging and pale. She gave me her weekly pledge envelope, a check donation for the local volunteer paper, a donation to the youth program at the church, and, of course, the tin of cookies. The police officer and I sized up the situation and called an ambulance. 

Later we learned she was treated for dehydration and exhaustion and admitted. Two days later she was moved to the county convalescent home for therapy and healing. But days later she was readmitted to the hospital with pneumonia, collapsed lung and in cardio-pulmonary crisis. 

Various friends and parishioners have visited her in hospital. She moves from private room to ICU and back. Her lungs are nearly inflated, pneumonia is still a huge problem. Her stamina is weak and coughing up the crud in the lungs is mostly ineffectual. 

When we visited, she had just had a treatment to loosen the phlegm so she could spit it up. She couldn’t. She was too weak. 

Ignoring all of that we had a nice visit. Laughed at circumstance. Gloried in the beautiful day outside the picture window. We made small talk. But something else was being said. As we prepared to leave, she held out her hand. I grasped it. Firm. Lingering. She looked me in the eye. Smiled. And thanked us for coming. 

But there was a lingering look in the eye. One that said “thanks for seeing me before I leave.” I said we love you. She remarked the same.  

The drive home was short and quiet. Later Rocky and I looked at each other and said, “She was saying goodbye.” 

I think that is true. Her graceful presence lit up the hospital the same as she lit up the church. Her spirit is very much with us; everyday; not just when we see her. She is a grace note to our lives. A very special light in our lives. 

She is still alive this morning. But for how long? And how will we miss her when she does pass to her rest? Time will tell but I think we will miss her always and remember her always, too. Life ever afer? 

Did I say her name? It is Grace! Of course it is.

May 17, 2012