Christmas Carol and El

I suspect there is a bit of us in every time we read a Christmas Carol. We are parts Tiny Tim, parts Bob Cratchit, parts Fred, parts Scrooge, parts Marley, parts Ghost of Christmas Past, parts Ghost of Christmas Present, parts Ghost of Christmas Future. Seems we are likely parts Dickens. Though we want to be only the good part, we are parts of all. All that...for jiminy Christmas Pete's sak, for crying ñ

really?

A reality show actor opines about gay people. The world reacts. The actor may be removed from the show. The show may be cancelled. There is uproar. The show is about a family that makes duck call devices. The main actor talks to ducks. There uproar about his personal views. He makes duck calls. He speaks to ducks. This matters. We are all quacking up.

What's shut?

A week or so after the government shutdown and I'm not real sure what has been or will be accomplished. Certainly the national debt is climbing more slowly. Then again, more people are out of work and or out of Monet. Both primary political entities blame each other. I think I would prefer the politicians shut up.

legacy

I'm troubled, more than a bit, by both what I recently read in "The Long Road" by Philip Caputo, and by the thoughts that flooded my mind as a result of what I read; a portion of his book focused upon life as a Lakota in the Pine Creek Reservation in South Dakota. A major portion of that segment in the book had to do with the rate of alcoholism within the indigenous American population. Caputo made a comment about the intense efforts of indigenous Americans to restore their way...the Lakota way...the Apache way, etc. These folks will always desire to have their legacy be one of fierce bravery, communion with Nature, led by the Great Spirit, physical skills that support weathering the life within nature. And then there is alcoholism, with the percentage of alcoholics highest in no other race of man than in indigenous Americans. Seems to me that the legacy of connection with that which was strongest, but outside of their selves, leaves a short leap to relying upon ETOH to create a way of life. Once known as brave warriors, now known as formidable alcoholics. None of us is removed from the loss of who we really are when we connect with greater powers.

are you sure about that

Elkhart Tolle claims that life will give you whatever experience that is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. First of all, is that a statement from his own consciousness, is his consciousness that of bestowing sufficient for the consciousness of others, what experience in life helped him evolve that particular truth, and how does he know any of that. I like the line from a professor I once had: "50% of what will teach is the truth...I'm not sure I know which 50%". Is one's consciousness a set thing, is my present consciousness sufficient for my experience of remembering the past, knowing the present, and wondering about the future? Also, what about the fact I can only fully attend to bits of my experience, while the rest is experienced in bits and pieces? Is my experience of guilt essential to me evolved consciousness? What about what I remover from last night's dream. Will drugs impact my experience or is there a fuller aspect of my true consciousness? Are these questions essential to my consciousness?

made me laugh

I was recently invited to connect to someone via LinkedIn. To say there is tension with this person is only the shallow end of the proverbial pool. This person rarely shares a greeting. There is clearly professional angst and division present. And what is the intention behind a request to connect via LinkedIn?

nature, naturally

I came across a blog-type post that referenced an awe for Summer, when, and I paraphrase, life is peaking, at its fullest. Got me thinking...this belief of peak life experience. Nature is certainly in full bloom during Summer. I reckon a case could be made that this is life to the fullest. Then, I remember a comment I once read..."even dead people communicate; if nothing else, that they are dead". That got me thinking about when life is at the peak experience. Is it only during summer, when in full bloom? How about in early Spring, when the worn and grey of winter is shedding and new vegetation erupts? How about Fall, when in preparation for dormancy? What about Winter, what with all the promise of the coming spring? Life it at the peak experience at any moment. Life is not only about external flourishes. Life is about cycles, each feeding the next, the old bringing in the new, transitioning through any time.

What holds you back

Pursuit of that which speaks from your soul or conscience of inner truth or whatever name you give your essence... And once catching that voice...do you speak or do you hold back. If you speak and the response is less acceptance and more anger or rejection do you continue to speak the same truth or do you change the message? Do you hold back or take the risk. (a draft from 12/9/11)

wonder

For nearly a year I've noticed how I've been consciously comparing certain aspects of my life to what I recall experiencing in high school: spending inordinate amounts of time doing my best to get noticed, all the while not wanting to be noticed trying to get noticed, and either knowing and or believing everyone else around me doing the same. The experience of endless competition, insecurity, comparison, frustration, anger, deceit, awe, disrespect, guilt, success...constantly in motion. I've sensed a deepening shallowness about my expression of life. Lost has been my sense of wonder. I've moved to celebrity, from anthropology. Where is my profound gift of nagging awe with all about me?

whilst screaming

WILL IT STOP.

oh stephen

I tend to always think of Stephen King as spending inordinate amounts of time sitting alone at a desk in a room with lots of shelves bedecked with bits and pieces of his personal memorabilia, periodically looking out either a window in front of him or to the side, writing any varied sort of note, whether it is a paragraph for a book or a journal entry (that will one day be used in a book, for I believe everyone of his books is autobiographical). The scene in my mind depicts what I believe most about Stephen King: he spends a great amount of time alone. I done believe he is a lonely man. I believe he is quite content, thinking, and he thinks intently whether when with someone or a group of folk, or when he is by himself. His mind floods the most, however, when he is alone.

sweeps

Much of the month of May is considered "sweeps month" for the TV & Radio industry, at least in Wisconsin. Sweeps month is a time when the industry assesses market-share. The various news media clamor for attention, in general, though that clamoring is cranked-up considerably during May. I listened to my "favorite" periodic news-talk radio host earlier this week. I don't particularly like the views of this particular radio personality...I find him rude, disrespectful of his callers, extremely opinionated and prejudiced, and conceited. That said, I find some of his topics news-worthy, and I appreciate the way in which he endeavors to construct his viewpoint. The particular host carried on in great detail how a rival news group had purposely 'sat on" what they later promoted as a breaking story involving a local law enforcement officer alleged, in the story, to have stolen a citizen's money from an ATM. The particular host not only lambasted the rival news group for a highly erroneous breaking story, but also insisted the rival company had purposely waited until sweeps month to go live with the story, merely as a way to boost market-share. The full details of the story are not completely clear, though the law enforcement agency involved is on record to report there was no wrong-doing in the incident. Considerable air-time has been devoted, by the particular host, regarding this purportedly erroneous story and how it broke precisely during sweeps week. The particular host broke his own allegation, of the story being erroneous, precisely during sweeps week. My clear impression is that sweeps month competition is fully alive and well in all news media, and any and all news groups will stop at nothing to promote their company and market share, at any and all expense of the competition.

Denial

At the Last Supper, Jesus said someone dining with him would betray him. There were two who betrayed. Judas. Peter. Judas gave Jesus up for arrest. Peter denied knowing Jesus. Judas admitted knowing Jesus. Peter denied knowing Jesus...three times. Judas' greater sin was not having betrayed Jesus; Judas'greater sign was to have denied the forgiveness he would have been given. Peter's greater sin was to have denied Jesus three times. He accepted the forgiveness that he had been given.

ajar

one of my colleagues has been traveling in El Salvador lately. he is a member of a parish committee that is called to maintain the organizational structure of our parish sistering relationship with a small community in northern El Salvador. the community is called Teosinte. my peer has been to El Salvador dozens of times, stemming first from his own participation, in a different parish sistering committee, and now his involvement in our cluster parish partner. he is fluent in spanish, has a passion for El Salvador, has some excellent ideas about sistering, and has, in some ways, his own mission in sistering. my peer was recently in Teosinte, amongst his various travels in the country. he delivered a letter to a family friend I have in Teosinte. he brought back news of a young man from Teosinte who was recently killed...the young man worked for the national police and was killed in a skirmish with a San Salvadoran gang. he shared a few updates about the general life in Teosinte. and his most recent update was all about the extremely difficult challenge that families have in Teosinte, due to young people...mostly boys and young men, who are leaving the community, and the country, to emigrate to the u.s.a. it costs $7000 alone to be trafficked to the u.s., and that does not count the cost of failed attempts, theft, brutality, etc. and to remain in El Salvador means to deal with gangs, who both lure young folk away, and steal from those not part of the gangs. my peers recent account was seriously difficult to read, created a great deal of sadness and despondency, and mostly left me wondering about many things, not the least of which includes - how some of the families in Teosinte have leveraged their own sons' success in getting to the u.s. and now having not only the best of homes in Teosinte, but the financial means to continue to increase their position and influence; and the poverty and social injustice of the overall country is repeated in the community - how the u.s. has taken this attitude that we cannot let people from certain foreign countries into our country; for an individual from El Salvador to get a visa is nearly impossible, let alone costly just for the attempt. yet, we allow people from India, Chinga, Japan, western European countries. latin america is banished..."we don't want them" is the chant from the u.s. and why? - those who survive the trafficking to get into the u.s. are left to live lives of secrecy, yet they send an incredible amount of money back to their families in El Salvador; their sense of community and family puts modern u.s. family to shame our great country was built upon the risks of those europeans...in general, who sacrificed all to emigrate to north america and take a chance to build a life. though there were those here, prior to the immigrants, who did not necessarily want new arrivals, power and influence and intelligence and whatever were used to force entry and new life begin. and while i am personally grateful for that outcome, i am shamed when i consider we won't enable our own past fortunes to continue to others in same situations and circumstances. the result is that the people in what is called the 'third world' countries to continue to repeat the very patterns that have been in existence in this world since the dawn of man...struggling to get in, and then closing the door on those following us. what would it take to leave the door open, even a bit?

called

most of us, for sure Christians, talk about the mission we have in our lives. Never is that discussed without some statement or rendition about how we are to suffer anything to feed the poor, tend to the sick, shelter the homeless. Mostly, we talk about these aspects of mission as if we know we are to live lives of pain and suffering, facing even torture, ridicule, loss of worldly possessions, bearing our own cross...all in the pattern of Jesus. And we assert that this is God's calling and, because it is God's calling, we are to do it. Yet, God commanded us to be happy, and to Know God. Do we find people in that pursuit? Am I living that life? Will I pursue a life of fullness and complete happiness in God?

association

when you are in a relationship you automatically come under the influence of all the "stuff" that surrounds and permeates the life of your partner. Fears and angst in your partner can and will be triggered by and revealed in you. You run the risk of being guilty of that which your partner laments most about her/himself. It's not personal. It's convenient, if anything.

figuring it out

I have come to realize two Internet 2.0 tendencies that are not serving me...or others, likely...all that well. 1) I respond to email very quickly...too quickly; 2) I am always prone to responding too many times. Others appear to know the correct cyber-social distance, as well as when to stop. I am quick to respond and am troubled when others delay. I always add a last comment, never stopping soon enough. Best recommendations: 1) always respond the next day 2) always limit responses to one, if that many at all New ways start now.

Been there

My family and I moved to Sussex, WI in 1970. There was a farm at the corner of what was then Hwy 164 and I-94...on the northwest corner. There was a large field with a slope up a relatively large hill, and kids old take the field stones from the field and create words or symbols. That activity lasted many years, until the farm was sold and Aurora Healthcare purchased the land to erect a clinic. My current employer is in the process of moving, and the current building of choice is at the top of the hill where the field stone messages used to be created.

surrounded

Waiting for Ryann's dance class to end, there is the sound of basketball coming from above, a family talking together in person and on phones on my left, a sobbing child on my right, dancing and shouting kids if front, a rumbling floor underneath as the furnace works, and little from behind. Surrounded by activity and life and energy. This is actually the way my life is at all times, though I often have no awareness of how surrounded I am by energy, though it is my constant companion. And to think I am part of the energy that surrounds other people.