Quality of Life

Life has many joys contained within it.  Among them – birth of a child, wedding day, career development and promotions, new home, new car, graduation from college, grad school, and many more hallmarks of a life growing in reach and promise.

There are other joys as well. These are often more difficult to catalog but some would include – the enticement of nature in the woods and forests, hiking mountains and back country locales, camping, traveling, smelling fresh air, drinking clean, clear water, growing one’s own food and relishing in its abundant flavors and textures and colors, hearing music that talks with the inner brain and forms more complex thoughts, encountering art in public places, and smells and touches and all the other senses. In rich abandon we can experience life.

But we must be attuned to it to receive it.

To smell the air, to feel the breeze, the soft humidity of an October afternoon – one must be free of distractions that hide the simple pleasures.

Hot and thirsty in a summer’s afternoon? The freshly made lemonade iced to perfection is a special treat! Perhaps at no other time do we truly experience it fully!? The same goes for a perfectly cooked steak or other treat when anticipated and the appetite properly focused. Or the aroma of freshly baked bread. Or an apple pie just about ready in the oven?  Remember those aromas? Recall your reactions then? The taste buds aroused and saliva running? Oh the expectation and excitement!

These are elements of a quality of life. These are the things that bring a simple joy and appreciation to our consciousness.

Living in a busy, noisy urban area we are often in need of a vacation that takes us away from the dirty air, the noisy surroundings, the frustrating traffic tie-ups, the tension of crammed schedules and calendars. And once on vacation in a quiet place, we are more aware of the sunrises and sunsets, the cleaner air, the appreciation of a passing thunderstorm, clean fresh water and tranquil settings of farm, field and forest.

These qualities of life we have with us most of the time. We just don’t notice them because our days are busy. We are distracted. By problems, dramas, financial pressures, family needs and so much more.

Distracted. The good often suffocated by more complex things dominating our lives.

Wealth can provide some of the simple qualities of life, but most of the time getting and maintaining the wealth distracts us from the things we want and need most.  Poverty and provide a simpler life that allows their enjoyment, their notice. But poverty also brings pressures that distract – unemployment, unpaid bills, insufficient income, poor health and housing and no way of repairing same.

For those who have the time and leisure, there is ability to enjoy the common, ordinary qualities of life others miss out on. 

‘Take time to smell the roses,’ we are advised from time to time. But do we?

In churches throughout the nation we are advised to take time for daily reflection and meditation. To some folks that is a time for prayer; for most it is a time to think about the day, the quiet moments, and the chance to relax in short lived peace.

We are well advised to also stop from time to time to smell the aromas surrounding us. Some will be pleasant, others not. But those smells are witness to the life going on around us.

The same for breathing in fresh air deeply, and slowly exhaling it. Deep breaths taken throughout the day are calming and energizing.  

Savoring a glass of fresh water, or a light meal and tasting the subtle flavors. A salad comes to life unexpectedly! A simple bowl of soup is savory and warming and life-giving. Listening to music during a stressful day, or on the commute home, or while walking or jogging. Music. The challenge of hearing order and harmonies in a challenging day.

These are simple things. These are simple joys of life.  To hear them, feel them, taste them – we must be ready for them. We have to be attuned to their being. We must be disciplined to find the time to experience them.

This does not take money. Or poverty. It takes being.

Be fully present in this day!

September 19, 2014

Wealth Gap

Many Americans bewail the growing gap between the haves and have-nots.  They are becoming more embarrassed by the enormous wealth accumulated by the few while the rest of society continues to be reduced in savings, earnings and all the rest.

Note: this situation does not necessarily mean a declining quality of life, although for many it does!  More on this in a later post.

The wealthiest Americans used to be counted in the top 5 to 10% of households. Usually these people were counted because of their high incomes. Wealth of course has many components – income, accumulated financial assets, large homes or estates, life styles that include long and costly vacations, whirlwinds of social activities at expensive restaurants and night spots, as well as jewelry, clothes and a fleet of posh automobiles, and planes! 

It is the latter that are viewed as the truly rich. And this number continues to grow. We used to think of millionaires as incredibly rich, but now it is the billionaires capturing our attention. Their rise in assets has been astounding. The sheer number of billionaires is surprising. We conclude that the rich are getting richer, even fabulously so.

That is not a bad thing in itself. It becomes bad when the rich are absorbing the wealth from tens of millions of others, and increasingly are influential enough to ensure this remains so.

It has been said often that the poor will always be with you. In fact that statement I believe comes directly from the Bible. But what numbers of poor are we to expect?  Recent statistics released by the US government report just under 15% of its population are poor. Nearly 20% of all children in the US live in poverty. On the positive side this is the first time that less than 15% of the population in America lived in poverty. The numbers have been much higher for a long, long time.

The poor often are structurally poor in their education, housing, geographic areas that are consistently lacking in economic growth opportunities and the like.  Certainly health conditions are part of this story as well. If a person has chronic illnesses, poor health care and limited health services available or poor or no health insurance coverage, their situation is almost always certain to result in continued poverty. The War On Poverty waged by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960’s was designed to end those causes of poverty. It was a grand fight but it failed in the end. It helped some, but poverty remained a stubborn embarrassment for America.

Today poverty takes on a different definition. It includes retirees, working poor, the unhealthy poor (under insured and burdened by high health care costs), and people once thought to be wealthy but no longer.

Today’s wealth gap is a product of timing and national policy.  Whether it continues will be argued and struggled with at the ballot box.

Legendary Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once said:

“We can either have democracy in this country or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.”

He was correct when he uttered these words of wisdom, and he is correct today as the system has continued to careen out of control in the hands of the few for the benefit of the few.

As policy setters in Congress continue to set policy in favor of the wealthy in order to fund their re-election campaigns, poverty continues to grow in their own backyards.  It is reported that:

“97% of the 100 poorest counties in America are in red states [republican] but tell me again how republican policies grow the economy?” ~Author Unknown but found in a liberal website on the Internet

At some point such policies will become unsustainable. Worse, they will likely cause great social unrest that will cause major sections of the nation’s social systems to implode.  Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) has it right, I think:

            “Nobody who works 40 hours a week should be living in poverty.”

Amen to that!  Amen!

Addressing health care costs and adequate health care insurance coverage is a small beginning to address what’s wrong in America. The Affordable Care Act is a good step in the right direction. However, political opposition to the ACA continues to threaten its existence, and trimmed many early components of the proposed legislation. Conservatives and Republicans have waged war on the ACA from its inception. Either they are against President Obama on personal and political grounds, or they are protecting their political power source. Either is an insult to most American citizens.

The commonweal is the focus of government. Either the nation is healthy or not. It is not in the economic sense. And the justice sense. And the education sense. And the cultural sense. It must be faced that America is in trouble on many fronts.

To regain its health all Americans must be engaged in the process. And that means economically as well as employed, healthy, educated and all the rest.

This is our nation. It belongs to all of us. Not just the wealthy and the lucky.

But who is listening to this? Anyone?

September 18, 2014

Believing and You

I get it!  Life is a process. Our inner self emerges over time. And it takes a lot of time, a lifetime to give the process its full measure.  So, if you are hard on yourself for making a few wrong turns while ‘maturing’, let it be. Those are learning opportunities.  Like Joel Osteen cautions us,

“Quit beating yourself up. You are not a finished product. You are still a work in progress.”

It takes some time to learn this point. Often we encounter it even when we think we have learned the lesson well! How many gaffs have I made at weddings, funerals, yes even anniversaries and retirement parties!  The glib tongue seeks camaraderie and instead stumbles into deep embarrassment. Ugh!

Working out the snags and kinks in ‘the who we are’ department takes time and patience. Testing helps, too. Trying out new tempers and ideas works well if you choose the audience carefully!

Trying to be funny is a major trip point. Just think how hilarious Robin Williams was! He did and said things we dared not. His abandonment of carefulness became more daring and funny. Hilarious, even! Not us! We are unaccustomed to this form of humor. And our mistakes become evident quickly.

On a more serious note, George Orwell (1903 – 1950) the British author of 1984, provided this quote for our attention:

            “The people will believe what the media tells them they believe.”

If this is true, then what is belief? Or more exactly what do people actually believe? Do they parrot to others what they think will be acceptable, or what they recently read that sounded intelligent, or are they actually speaking what they do believe? And if the latter fits, at what stage of development is the belief?  Is it the product of years of experience and testing by the individual? Or is it a happenstance utterance with no foundation of feeling and understanding?

It is this incomplete personal investment of work that allows people to believe what they hear or read. Upon closer inspection those same people would more likely change their statements.

During heated political campaign seasons people do toss about political beliefs that are wholly inconsistent with the examples and analogies touted with them. It is clear they are delivering a scripted thought that follows someone they intend to vote for in the approaching election.

Rather they should give it time and thought. They might find that they have been given a line of baloney that is easily discounted.

As Michelle Obama has stated,

“Always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals.”

Your goals. Your beliefs. Your consistency of thought. Distracted easily from these? Then you may not be thinking deeply enough, or paying close attention, or perhaps are too distracted from who you really are. Being true to you is not easy work.  Far from it!

Of course we can ask ‘why do we care?’  That’s a good question. This quote from the internet is, of course, anonymous, but is a good place to close today:

“The older I get, the less I care about what people think of me. Therefore the older I get, the more I enjoy life.”

That depends on how you spend your time in your advancing age. If you spend it with lots of people you may need to practice diplomacy to get along and learn from them. Doing so proves you do care what others think. Besides, without that care you may miss out on much that you disagree on. Just think what you are missing!

September 17, 2014

Culture or Religion?

I spotted a quote on the internet the other day that made me stop and think (this happens a lot, but some moments are different from others).  This one was from Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902), the historical figure in women’s right to vote.  She said:

“…You will find that every form of religion which has breathed upon this earth has degraded women…”

Upon encountering these words I felt this idea needed more thinking.  In her day Stanton was probably correct.  Women were counseled to follow their husbands in thought and deed. They were to take direction from them and be subservient to them.

Subservience to the Lord may be in the Bible somewhere, and many religions may have the same proscription for its followers, both male and female. However, the cultural context of religious creed did downplay the leadership role of women. Nuns in Roman Catholicism is a good example. Other religions, too. But even in 2014 Nuns have assumed a much more active role in the church. Oh sure the hierarchy keeps Nuns subservient to male leadership but I don’t think for much longer this will be true.

Cultural context is important in mapping change in society.  Women are a major force in most leading societies – both in the western world and European milieu. Women may play lesser leadership roles in other cultures but those, too, are changing – Africa, Malaysia, for example.

Religion and culture are deeply embedded in each other. That is both strength and curse. The yearnings of the downtrodden will rise to fulfill their destiny. Women have already done this in America and Europe. Elsewhere they will rise and share with men the world stage of leadership in religion, academia and statecraft. We have many examples of this throughout history. And it is an emergence that will not stop. We in America have experienced much of the emergence but there is much yet to be fulfilled!

Women are the backbone of most religions. They are the faithful and the doers. They are leaders in many capacities. They will one day exceed the balance of power within most creed societies. Rightly so. I hope Stanton would be pleased to witness these developments.

Will Wheaton is an actor and atheist. Back in 2006 he posted on his blog this statement:

“I’m so fed up with being told that I’m a bad person because I don’t subscribe to the same exact narrow views [Christians] have.”

“I also have nothing but contempt for the so-called spiritual leaders who prey upon [religious] people for their own personal financial or political gain.”

There is truth in what Wheaton claims, but actually that’s not the point of including his thoughts here.  My purpose is for religious or political groups to reflect on how they are perceived outside of their circle of influence.

Cultures include what is prevalent and believed by broad numbers of people. That does not make them right or better than others who don’t believe as they do.

What is important, I think, is that the opposing views brush up against each other in order that they find a balanced and realistic view of each other’s position. They just might find points of agreement. They may begin to see each other’s belief system in a broader context and be sensitive to it. This is a process that helps us support each other although very different from each other.

Diplomacy uses this process to understand others. That understanding can be used to build bridges of peace.

And that reminds me of another quote I bumped into the other day:

            “Be selective with your battles. Sometimes peace is better than being right.”

                                    ~Anonymous

Doesn't that fit well here? Religion, creeds, political ideologies, nationhood – all offer many points of disagreement. But understanding a little bit more each day helps us respect those differences and helps us understand our own views better.

Peace. That’s what we should be aiming for. Not agreement. Peace. The two are very different.

So I’ll close with: Peace be with you!

September 16, 2014

Traffic Civility

I've wanted to address this topic for a long time.  It sort of follows the heading – “If I were King!” – you know, the kind of rules you’d make if you had all authority.  With respect now only to driving a car (or truck), here’s an old favorite of mine: No left turns unless a turning lane is provided. Now that makes sense.

The longer I live and drive in mounting traffic, the more this rule makes sense! Left turners clog up more intersections and impede traffic than any other traffic problem other than a flood.  They also create more accidents than any other cause.

Second, related to that one is: If a turn lane is available, get into it quickly! How many times have you witnessed a slow dance by the driver into his turning lane with concurrent slowing of speed when he could have merged into the lane early and quickly? The painted lane lines are not actual curbs over which you cannot drive. Please get yourself out of the flow of traffic as quickly and safely as you can.  This speeds up the rest of the vehicles and keeps you safe at the same time.

The third rule is this: Don’t be a target! This one is consistent with the previous two items. Getting out of the way is critical to keeping you safe, others safe around you, and maintaining traffic momentum.  Keeping your rear end in traffic is an open invitation to getting hit. Turning left when no signal or lane is provided for that maneuver is another invite to a crash. Get the picture?  Out of the way is safest.

Fourth, if you must make a left turn and no signal or lane is provided for same, then continue forward and make three right turns (go around the block) and you will be heading in the desired direction. This is basic logic and also an excellent use of geometry.

Fifth, if you are in unfamiliar territory and just realized you are missing your turn, keep moving forward and find a safe place to sit and get your bearings, or make a safe turn when such is available. At no time should you make a sudden correction of direction or slam on the brakes in order to make the turn you intended to make. This rule eliminates more invitations for an unintended crash meeting.

Sixth, when cruising on the open highway, especially a four lane divided one, keep to the right unless you are passing a slower vehicle. That is the law. You are not allowed to cruise in the left lane. That is only intended to allow safe passing of other vehicles. If the right lane is moving faster than the traffic in the left lane, then you know conditions are not proper and great caution is indicated on your part!  It also indicates you must be in Wisconsin!

Seventh, when you use the left lane to pass another vehicle, do not slow down, but continue moving forward at a speed greater than the vehicle you are passing.  Otherwise you are not passing; you are just cruising in the other vehicle’s blind spot and creating a colossal back up in the passing lane. That is dumb. Pass reasonably quickly and then move into the right lane to allow the traffic behind you to clear.

            Eighth, keep your speed up to the prevailing traffic flow unless you spot a peril that they don’t. If they crash because of the peril, then you saved yourself from a nasty situation. However, if there is no peril, don’t become one by driving slower than everyone else on the road. If you are nervous and uncomfortable, find a safe place to pull off the road, let traffic pass, then resume your trip. If you are still uncomfortable, get off the road until you do feel comfortable or find someone else to drive your car.  Slower traffic is often the cause of accidents. They remain unscathed but others trying to avoid you get involved in a crash.

Ninth, do not use your hands-on phone while driving; do not text while driving; and do not check your emails on your phone while driving. Electronic distractions are a growing menace and cause of accidents. Increasingly it is against the law and for good reason!

Tenth, do not apply make-up or prepare your computer records for your next business appointment while driving. We all see you do it! We know what you are doing. You are going to cause an accident most likely involving your car. We witness your erratic use of your lane, your inability to keep up with traffic and notice that something is not right. That’s when we know what you are up to!  Please, be prepared for driving without either of these two distractions.

A bonus rule: please eat your meals before entering your car. A drippy egg sandwich or juicy burger makes for a dirty shirt/blouse front as well as distracted driving.

An extra bonus rule: do not install your contact lens while driving.  I know this makes sense in more ways than one, but still……

Carry on!

September 15, 2014

Thought for the Day

Most of you know I am a supporter of the arts – performing and visual. I think they civilize our society and world. I think they help people express themselves in ways they cannot in any other manner.

And I think art has a primary role in education.  This quote from Sydney Gurewitz Clemens tells you why:

“Art has the role in education of helping children become like themselves instead of more like everyone else.”

Over the weekend ponder this quote. Discover how art has shaped your life or enhanced it. And then consider how art is vital to young minds becoming well formed and self reliant.

September 13, 2014

Immigration Reform

I am not an expert on this issue.  I do not know the technical aspects of this issue – the law, the international protocols, and the ramifications for the American budget deficit and all the rest.

So I will address what I do know something about. Long term goal setting, big picture issue management.  Those two will do for a start.

In solve any problem, first it has to be defined. In this case I think the problem is: 12 million immigrants presently in our country illegally. There are many probably who feel this is an oversimplified definition.  OK then; what are the components that bother you and make you want to expand the definition of the problem?

I am aware that the cause of large numbers in the illegal immigration issue are many.  A porous national border with Mexico is one of the primary causes. But there are other causes. All need to be categorized and then analyzed to determine what can be done to stanch the flow of illegal immigrants into our country. With that analysis comes possible solutions. But already this discussion becomes overly complex.

We need to simplify the discussion. Agreed: we have a lot of illegal immigrants in America; they come from all over the world, not just Mexico. Also agreed, we are for immigrants of all stripes joining our national population. That is, after all, what America is about. It is who we are, where we got our start, and how we grew. It is also the secret to our getting along with so many nationalities throughout the globe. We are supporters of diversity, justice and equal rights among all of our people.

The issue, then, is not immigrants, but a regulated flow of immigrants to our land. For what reason is the regulated flow important? I suppose so we can adequately absorb incoming numbers of people properly and maintain an orderly society. Might this be the case?  Oh, I know there are concerns over national security, the high price of caring for immigrants who come to our land with few assets or resources but many needs to be funded from the public purse.  I would caution believers in this latter statement to understand that many immigrants come to us with skills, hopes and dreams and motivation to build highly successful lives. They also enhance our skill sets and sensibilities as an overall population.

There may be some concern about the religious beliefs of some immigrants; after all there is an Islamic jihad aimed at America, right? Well, no, actually. There are terrorists all over the globe who do not like America or many other nations as well. They claim injury from those nations and declare a jihad. It’s almost like if you don’t have a jihad named for your country, you must be doing something wrong!

Let’s face it. Jihads and Islamic radicals represent a tiny portion of the Muslim world. The Islamic tradition is one of peace, justice and loving thy neighbor. So are the traditions of Judaism and Christianity. They all come from the God of Abraham and thus the similarities among the religions.  They are all great religions. Each has its culture as well. Each is right to their followers. They are not a nationality; they are a religion.

Besides, America was built on individual liberty and chief among the liberties was to exercise religious beliefs without discrimination or abridgment. Even if the immigrant didn’t have a religion or belief in God. There was no religious requirement then (in the 1600’s) or now. You are free to be an atheist whether practicing or not.

So religious issues are not a part of the immigration issue. And rightly so!  How American is that?!

OK, so public services to immigrants may be costly at first but eventually our new citizens will more than make their own way in our society. It is one of the motivating factors of their moving from their homeland to ours; they want a fresh start. And if they are successful, they will more than pay their share of public costs.

If that is true, then any early public cost for services in their coming to America is an investment in their productivity and happiness. 

Therefore, that is no longer an issue.  A gripe, maybe; but not an issue. Fussy misers will always complain about costs and act as though they are the only ones bearing the cost. How egotistical of them!

Well then, we still have the huge issue of 12 million illegal immigrants. If their illegal status is the problem because solving 12 million cases all at the same time creates an enormous bureaucratic nightmare, I suggest we simplify the problem by declaring them all legal. That would eliminate the largest problem we are facing, right?

Now then, no longer do we have 12 million illegal immigrants to worry over.

What we do have are porous borders through which any malcontent can cross and create mayhem, including terrorists.  That is a far larger problem to solve, but at least it is definable in smaller numbers and thus more manageable. The management requires professional people trained to do this. We do not need self appointed militias to man the borders with guns licensed by the NRA! Vigilantes are not welcome in this volatile situation. They are not trained agents of the federal or state governments. They are not the police with special training for this task. So they are unwelcome and illegal actors on this particular stage. They should be arrested as a public nuisance and endangerment to the public weal.

 No high walls or fences are needed to protect our borders. Civility and professional border agents are. Deploy them sensibly.

Oh. One more thing. I suggest a welcome mat be permanently installed at all borders contiguously.

Now, can we get back to what’s really important?  That would be eating high calorie foods without getting fat. That’s a start.

September 12, 2014