Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Vegetables

You know when you were a kid there was always a vegetable you hated. I hated artichoke hearts and to this day I can't understand why anyone would eat them. We grow up and now I eat some things I would never have eaten before. Well I'm grownup but I still have some things I hate as much as those artichoke hearts. We all have at least one thing we hate to do. I hate to shave. I won't shave until I have an important reason to. Even then I'll shave as closely as I can to make the shave last as many days as possible. My wife says I hate to wipe my feet on a rug when i come in the house. Ok, maybe that too. She, my wife, seems to hate putting away clothes that are in the clothes basket after washing. Some of my friends hate to deal with car salesmen, attorneys and even their wives. I guess we never really change that much as we age. We just substitute things for artichokes.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Resolution

Resolution is sought in all walks of life. The ability to see things clearly as they really are is of utmost  importance. We need to see without any fuzziness or haze. Cameras, binoculars, televisions, cell phones, satellites and especially our inner eye needs to focused to crystal clarity. When the Hubble telescope's lens was inaccurately ground it's pictures were out of focus. Scientists worked diligently to find a solution. Our inner eye is always looking for resolution. Our many unresolved personal issues scream inside for resolution so we can finally make some sort of peace and reason to the past. Resolution comes in many forms. It may be a chance encounter with a former friend or relative. An article in a newspaper or magazine may bring clarity. It may take years to find resolution but the search never ends. I have found resolution in my life. It wasn't always the view I wanted but it did make me understand things better. Accepting what is seen is essential because as we have all learned, the past is unchangeable.

Never

Never is an often used word in our vocabulary. It has a definition. It has been used for many years. It is only recently that I found that it has no weight, no real meaning at all. It is spoken as an end all word but really means maybe next time. Never doesn't mean not again." I will never", Never violate the ten commandments", "Never do that again" are examples of the use of never that doesn't mean anything. All three have caveats. I will never is an oath always broken, the ten commandments are broken all the time and repentance is granted, never do that again is followed by "but if you do". It takes character and backbone to truly say the word and enforce it. Character and backbone, two other words that have lost their meanings. Parents, teachers, politicians, clergy and friends use the word never without realizing the consequence of not living by the word. Once the word never is invoked and treated as the word maybe there is no respect, no trepidation of consequences. I prefer to use the term "next time". This way there is a warning tag. A promise if you will that something will happen if the same time. Something does happen the next time and we move on.

A Good Day to Die

Seven days of the week, 30 days a month, 12 months a year, 365 days a year. Which day to die on? We all lead busy lives and have plans for the days ahead. We have families, friends, jobs and  things we like to do in our spare time. I like to make plans but I always have a plan B and even a plan C when things fall through. I like to try to make time for everyone. I often put my plans aside to make this time available. I have tried to adopt the philosophy of don't wait to do things, do them now. Opportunities come for a reason and are not to be avoided. Some people never find time for anyone or anything. They tend to confine their time and emotions for a few. Difficult to find a day to entertain someone not in the loop. I look at my calendar on the wall and find, even with a somewhat busy schedule time for everyone and  everything. How would you consult someone like this what day would be best for me to die? Drop plans, appointments, work, simply for a death. They couldn't find time in life why would it be so easy in death?  I will try to accommodate no one but myself when I die. I'll die when it's my time and on my own terms. Regretting nothing because I did make time in life for everyone and everything.