It's a Beautiful Thing

Dear America,

there is a portrait of a woman hanging just above my desk.

the color palette is primarily bronze and malachite green, with swooshes of gold and brown, and assuming acrylic, possibly oils...she is very pleasing to the eye in multiple dimensions.  Her expression is warm, though looking down.  Her lips are full, her face soft, and leading one to believe she is either contemplating something significant or simply deep in prayer.  She doesn't appear sad in the least bit -- more soul-searching, reflective, or taking a moment to collect herself.

Most striking of all, is that her head is covered, wrapped around with some kind of cloth; if I didn't know any better, she could very well be the spitting image of Mary of Magdalene, or even Mary, mother of the baby Jesus.  This girl is all woman, and definitely not of this (modern) world.

and there is not one day that goes by that I don't look at her.

sometimes it's a mere, almost accidental, clareless glance
and sometimes it's a long, contemplative gaze taking me somewhere -- as in, anywhere, but here.
in any event, she is usually my first glimpse of anything close to human on any given day.

and I like it.

If I were to describe my mood these last few days, this portrait of some unknown woman captures it.

These days mark an end to an era. And although perfectly okay with it, almost elated and overjoyed -- it comes with this deep sense of bidding farewell, of valedictory, to a time that was and isn't ever coming back.

My baby girl is finished with school, swiftly embarking upon her career years, and with a Hail Mary or two, is doing so miles and miles away from home.   Oh "Holy Mary, Mother of God!" -- how does this happen in a matter of a blink of an eye, in God's time...

Was it even celebratory enough -- given the profoundness of such an occasion -- to have her last meal fulfilled with an In N Out burger and not even any fries?  I think not.

Come Sunday morning, that little flying monkey of mine took the air right out of my sails.  It feels like I've been bobbing around, sans all navigational equipment, for weeks now -- and it's only Wednesday.  Oh "blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus."

And yet, such is life.

THIS IS LIFE...watching her life expand and grow and move beyond whatever shelter I may, or may not, have given her, over her twenty one years.  The symbiotic nature of mother and child offers mutual benefits for both  -- be it the role of teacher and student, parent and junior, suffice it to say, the lines can occasionally get awfully fuzzy, like a smudge of golden rules and cerulean dreams, the canvass is in constant play.

it is such a beautiful thing. 

------------------------------

politics just isn't doing it for me these days;
while our culture is frayed, obsessed with petty divides and the tragic loss of any semblance of  civility.  ugh.

my wish this morning is for one, come all, to take intentional stock of what is right in front of you...for time and children and love and life are not static; though they may sit for a moment, for a portrait, perhaps, these precious things do not stand still for long...and we wouldn't have it any other way.


Oh how I love my blessed child, who is no longer all mine.

She is of the world now.

And thankfully, the immaculate design of the entire universe is in full tilt,, giving way to whatever we can dream or imagine.  Every purpose and portrait under heaven is in motion and deep in thought congruently and seamlessly and graciously, if we are open to It.
May God bless you and keep you, baby girl.

Make it a Good Day, 
G

It's How Can This Government Sleep at Night Thing

Dear America,

I feel soooooooooo good today.  And I haven't had this feeling for sooooooooooo long, either.  This has been such a looooooooooooooong week [on top of my own crazy absence from normal life extending to an horrific three weeks]  -- but for this week I can turn to my little darling as the culprit, for my girl has been a flying monkey for days.  In part because she has had a vicious schedule of deadlines on top of her, in part because she is still in recovery from the flu that I gave to her, and in part because she's lacking a really good night's sleep.  Not sure how far back we have to go on the calendar to see when she had one of those...

Little old G on the other hand -- I got one of those really good night's sleep just last night.  Happy Valentine's Day to me. 

Oh sure, celebrated mid-day with my baby with cards, candy, flowers and balloons -- it was all good....every thirty minutes of it.  But seriously, I am being totally for real here, totally appreciative and totally serious.  Getting that much on a day when I least expected it, considering what my baby is in the middle of right now, is like getting everything you ever wanted in one fell swoop.  To say this guy isn't a wee bit overwhelmed, would be an understatement, but I digress.  He STOPPED his day for me (but who are we kidding -- as any good guy should do if he knows what's best --  you know, considering the way lovey dovey stuff is supposed to work).

Anywho -- he did it.  He stopped and played cupid.  At the end of the day, with my girl being at her dad's,  I was able to fall to sleep like a baby.  I was sound asleep by 8:30 and slept until 7 without a care in the world (yeah, right, that's a good one).

But the thing is -- let me be perfectly clear -- I  FEEL SOOOOOOOOOO GOOD today.   I haven't coughed for twenty four hours, I had a wonderful dinner of filet mignon with béarnaise sauce and a luscious side of heaping mashed potatoes, with probably more butter than potato.  No veggies on the plate whatsoever.  For dessert, a slim slice of chocolate marble cheesecake with a half dozen Reese's Minis on the side of that, too, and finished off with a big, cold glass of milk, with ice, of course.    Let's not forget, all of that was preceded with a two-finger shot of Maker's Mark over ice just to get the party started.

And right after all that, I put myself into the tub for a relaxing half hour of bubbles and bath salts.  IT had been the culmination of a long work day all the way around, and a bath was not only calling my name, it was screaming at me "just stop G, give in and let go....you deserve it."

Oh you get it now....  
I went to bed fat and happy.

What a treat.
Wouldn't it be lovely if every day was like that?

Don't answer that.
Let me help you out...if every day was like that, just how special would it be?  How would that really serve us, mainly me, in the long run anyway?  How would that teach us, mostly me,  to respect, honor, even feel a sense of gratitude for what we have and see the real value in the things large and small?  But there again, talking to self.

But if we really give it some earnest thought -- most of our time is spent dealing with life wrapped up in a world of obligations and responsibilities.  It is only when we can steal away a few minutes, an hour, a day, to gain a deeper perspective of what all those obligations and responsibilities really do for us -- from a character building, life affirming, open heart and God's grace centered in our thoughts kind of way -- that we understand the immensity of what it means to be human.  And that goes double for being a good human.  It's days when we can truly feel how good we've got it, of how hard we work for it, that the day becomes really, really, super good.

It's like Saturdays after a morning of chores and we take that first sip of a cold, icy coke [I do believe G has a secret fetish for ice...I mean, just how many times can I bring it up in one blog?]

But it is our government these days, who would like to have us believe we have nothing to worry about, nothing to concern ourselves with, that we have no problem with spending whatsoever, even in the most conservative stretch of the imagination.   They tell us, we don't have a spending problem, we have a revenue problem; we don't have a spending problem, we have a "paying for problem" of the obligations that we have set in motion [ironic, considering who in fact is doing the obligating].

We borrow forty-six cents on every dollar we spend.

Hello?

How can this government sleep at night?

We are 16, almost 17, TRILLION dollars in debt.

How can this government sleep at night?

We are in the midst of out-lawing one of our most precious rights - the right to bear arms.

How can this government sleep at night?

We bear witness to this government taking personal responsibility, self-reliance, individual duty unconscionably out of the daily to-do list.

How can this government sleep at night?

We take prayer -- or just five minutes of personal reflection -- out of school.

How can this government sleep at night?

We have watched this government usurp the medical industry, undermine real reform, in the implementation of a brand new entitlement program that has turned the 85% of the American people happy with their insurance to 100% of all Americans totally unglued by the corruption responsible for diabolically upending everything good about the health care system in America.  All this without even trying to open up the state borders so that insurance companies could finally compete with one another for the health care dollar -- unbelievable. [and all costing us -- not roughly 900 billion as initially thought, but three times as much; and all by stealing 500 billion from Medicare!  Oh who hates old people now?]

How can this government sleep at night?

We watch our hard-earned, tax-payer paid for, ammunition, airplanes, and tanks just be handed over to the enemy, the Muslim Brotherhood, in Egypt.

How can this government sleep at night?

We witness the cost of electricity, gas, "necessarily rise"  according to the long term vision of the Socialist-in-Chief.

How can this government sleep at night?

And I feel really bad for all the blood, sweat and tears, of  every single immigrant who has earned, fought, studied  -- for days, weeks, months -- to become a citizen of these magnificent United States, only to watch the illegal immigrant cross our borders every single day, outside the boundaries of the law, be deemed no longer "illegal" per se, but now, by virtue of their lack of respect for this country and the proper channels set in place of becoming American citizens, essentially come out getting everything for doing absolutely nothing but break the law.

How can this government sleep at night?

We have eleven thousand new recipients of food stamps every single day.

How can this government sleep at night?

We have the lock box of social security broken and it's contents gone.

How can this government sleep at night?

We have this government spending a trillion dollars more than it takes in year in and year out.

How can this government sleep at night?

Okay, think I will stop now; would really hate to ruin the chances of getting two really good night's  sleep in a row.   And certainly -- somewhere between taking prayer out of school and the number of Americans facing the challenge of feeding their families on food stamps -- I would imagine I was beating a dead horse [and how about that story on horse meat...but no time to find it now].

Out here in California, the mad-man, Chris Dorner, was confirmed dead -- unbelievable the amount of attention he got, considering.     Our whole entire world is crumbling around us -- economically, spiritually, culturally -- only fitting the politically correct fascination of a murderer gone rogue, in a power to the people kind of way, gets our full, walking dead, hypnotic response.   Are we all idiots now?

All I know is we -- mostly me -- have some kind of work to do before we get another evening of thinking, contemplating, worrying, of all things centering around absolutely nothing. 

Oh well, it was really good while it lasted...there is that.

Make it a Good Day, G
 

It's a Breedlove Thing

Dear America,

baby steps here we go.

not really back yet.

let's just say, it has been a heavy holiday season.

and what is the G thing gonna do?  go heavier [cue raw, stupid sarcasm...'joy to the world'...sing it with me...].

So, just in case you missed it over the last couple of weeks, a story about just a boy touched my heart.

and so it is only fitting, I think, as we start a new year ...for a wee bit of perspective.  I am choosing to go to a 'digital journal' piece, as told by John Thomas Didymus.  The story is well done; while the video of Ben speaks for itself.


May I recommend that you read the background first, and then click into the two videos in the words of Ben.

So when you are ready to begin, go here. (bring tissues)

Make it a Good Day, G

It's All About Love and Life Thing -- Applications from an American Icon

Dear America,

to lay it all out there today,
there are days when I'm not sure if I'm watching the love of my life die or spring back to life. it can fall either way depending upon the moon, the stars, which side of the bed I awoke...while many days simply live in the grey area of 'hard to tell'.

I get to see him when he lets me -- which rounds out to about once or twice a month; that all depends upon the moon, the stars, which side of the bed he awoke....while many days simply live in the grey area of 'hard to tell'.

What holds us together?  Anyone from the outside would have to wonder...

For a quick answer, I would have to surmise -- if only to myself -- the thing that binds is our ability to feel each other, even from afar.  The thing that unites is our ability to unconditionally love each other.  The thing that builds is our ability to reinforce and affirm the good above all else. It really doesn't matter if anybody else gets it -- we do -- and that's what counts.

while the circumstances are clearly not what we wish for ourselves, being an immediate threat to living a life fully engaged in every possible way -- considering the overbearing amount of fear, stress, and pain getting in the way -- still, it is our reality.   As unfair as it may be in our own little minds, that's life.

But it's funny how life works -- for it is only through our challenges and disappointments and failures that make us strong; go figure.  But think about it, if everything was just handed to us, being all hunky dory all the time and coming with great ease -- just what would push us, motivate us, encourage us to expand, grow, love, build, prosper, advance, to our highest good?  whatever that may be?

Certainly -- if you happen to be someone facing death through dis-ease, the acceptance and ability to live within that dichotomy of life and death itself becomes of that much greater importance, doesn't it.  In such an instance, nearly everything we do becomes bigger than life.  We either learn to let go and truly live! -- or we choose to go down hard, fighting it all the way.

my baby is expected to successfully come out the other side 'of this' in time...  all the while, I will wait -- feeling him, loving him, letting him manage it the way he wants.  for what choice do I really have, right?

so sure, in this day in the life of America -- even as I am selfishly pre-occupied with my own lament -- all together WE are collectively reflective of how we lost a good one just yesterday -- Steve Jobs.

And in this moment, let us stop and remember the life-force of his own words:



Steve's remarks -- in front of an audience of Standford graduates -- give us just a snapshot of what went into the making and evolution of the technological, inventive, courageous, gentle genius behind the face who became a cultural icon, defining innovation with hi-tech gadgetry, making them fun, accessible, and user friendly.  His company grew to become a one-man-app, of sorts, symbolizing creativity, excellence, industry while bringing really cool things to market. Just the sight of it alone -- an apple with a bite out of it -- gave people chills.

but more than all that --  he belonged to someone -- he was a husband and father of four.

In an interview for WIRED, February 1996, he said:

“The problem is I’m older now, I’m 40 years old, and this stuff doesn’t change the world. It really doesn’t.

I’m sorry, it’s true. Having children really changes your view on these things. We’re born, we live for a brief instant, and we die. It’s been happening for a long time. Technology is not changing it much — if at all.

These technologies can make life easier, can let us touch people we might not otherwise. You may have a child with a birth defect and be able to get in touch with other parents and support groups, get medical information, the latest experimental drugs. These things can profoundly influence life. I’m not downplaying that.

But it’s a disservice to constantly put things in this radical new light — that it’s going to change everything. Things don’t have to change the world to be important."

what unguarded humility and life-affirming perspective... go Steve..."having children really changes your view on these things..."     and how.

having children, bearing an illness, losing a loved one...among other things...changes everything in a heart beat.

In the video, Steve lends his best advice on life and death, saying:

"No one wants to die; even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there...death is very likely the single best invention of life...it clears out the old to make room for the new...

Sorry to be so dramatic, but it's quite true.  Your time is limited; so don't waste it living someone else' life.  Don't be trapped by dogma which is living with the results of other people's thinking.  Don't let the noise of others opinions drown out your own voice..."

Steve was a big believer in the philosophy of doing that which feeds the fire in the belly.... "[to] do what you believe is great work."  When fired from the very company he started, he considered for a moment of whether or not to pack it up and run away from Silicone Valley for good -- giving into the warped reality that he was a total failure.  Can you just imagine that?  Steve Jobs doubting himself?

But then -- things changed.   He stopped to ask himself -- just why should you do that, Steve? -- you love what you do.

Unconditional love in the creative process made him persevere, in spite of how things looked.

"again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.  So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future...you have to trust in something -- your gut, your destiny, karma, whatever...that which gives you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads off the well worn path --  and that will make all the difference."

sometimes we have no idea the who, what, when, where, or why in life; and sadly, "sometimes life is gonna hit you on the head with a brick, but don't lose faith," Steve tells the crowd of students, parents, professors, and subsequently, the millions, at large, who have downloaded the youtube video.

Now we all know.

All we can do is LIVE like it may be our last, from the heart.

and indeed he did.

Bless you, Steve --  who is sure to be kickin' back on a cloud as we speak, day-dreaming of what's next.

Make it a Good Day, G

and what a dichotomy of realities -- one aspect of the day is feeling the emotional loss of the leader of a corporate dynasty, while the other is witnessing the utter disconnect creeping into society, sometimes not so quietly, as in the Occupy Wall Street protests.   Poor kids, they know not what they do.

unfortunately, we haven't come to the conclusion of that discussion yet.... but we will....just not today.

Dear America,

"There has never been the slightest doubt 

in my mind 

that the God 

who started this great work in you 

would keep at it and bring it 

to a flourishing finish 

on the very day Christ Jesus appears." 

Philippians 1:6

exuding confidence I am, I am. (yeah right...all over that)


but anyone who knows me -- I mean really knows me -- knows just how funny that sounds; my life is not quite right right now; as a matter of fact, it has turned into one hot mess. Yet, this weekend was ripe with little messages to my soul to keep on keepin' on; and to that end, a very happy monday goes out to you all.


Of course, as we went along our merry little way this past week, a prediction which didn't come to fruition came to pass.  We had thy preacher, Camper (that's Camping and preacher put together) prophesying about the end of the world, DOOMSDAY; that in fact, DOOMSDAY would hit the eastern shoreline by 6 pm Saturday evening --  and judgment day would be served -- prepare!  The media picked right up on it -- everyone had some fun with the idea in one way or another.


And so this morning, the extra sugar thrown in the coffee, that little saunter out to the car to begin the morning commute breathing in the fresh air, the simple kiss on the cheek to your loved ones going off to school (or to the dog!), runs a wee bit softer, sweeter, gentler, appreciating the reality of living to see another day. 

Or, like most of us who paid no mind to the man behind the bible curtain, laughed it off as just another fifteen minutes of fame in a world thoroughly wrapped around the seen and be seen and be seen again, only this time with a wardrobe malfunction, with hell and damnation, or something to that effect.  

The preacher made an outlandish prediction, rushing us to our "flourishing finish" without so much as a smidgen of understanding that it is not even his place to say so.  

Geesh, humans.  We are so full of ourselves, aren't we?.


The Apostle Paul was in prison, circa 61 A.D. in Rome, when he wrote a letter to the Philippians, which would ultimately become part of the greatest book for all time;  Paul called out to all believers, begging them to fear not, to trust in the Lord with all your soul, with all your might, and simply reminding God's people to keep on keepin' on with a joyful heart -- remember, all behind bars, mind you.  It was this very verse (above), right from the get-go, that was quoted by a preacher, Joel Osteen, just yesterday...


Osteen spent nearly thirty minutes, recanting stories and experiences, filling up our hearts and minds with promise, perseverance, making way for hope to endure all things, and summed it all up with this:  "If all is not well, than it's not the end."  In other words,   if you are experiencing doomsday in your own little world, take heart, for God is not finished.


And I just have to retell the story he told of a woman holding tight to her last dying wish -- to be buried with a fork in hand. just trust me. stick with me for a quick corny story, it's a good one -- 


so this woman walks into a bar, 

oopsie daisy, wrong one...

so this woman dies -- and like I said before, her last will and testimony made a strange request of a fork.  

Well, to understand this, you need some background.  For starters, this woman had lived a life revolving around her faith, her church; between quilting circles and community outreach, she spent the better part of her life centered around the joy of communing with friends, fellow congregants, and neighbors, attending god knows how many potlucks and picnics and church buffets.   She always remembered that when it came time to picking up the dinner plates, people were told to "keep your fork."  Why?  for the best part was coming right up, of course -- the dessert.  The flourishing finish to the meal, as Osteen points out.  

SO the odd culinary accessory --  to go along with the floral dress with a flared skirt, the one that didn't make her feel fat... the shoes, the one's only brought out for Sundays and special occasions... and the aqua marine earrings, her birthstone -- yes, and the same one's her husband gave to her upon their first Christmas -- there was a fork.  For the best part, you know, was coming right up.  She had it all planned out. She knew exactly where to put her trust, her faith, her hope, her life.  And truth be told, by all appearances anyway, there was never any doubt.


Oh to be that good at this thing called life.


Now, the misguided preacher may have been wrong, really wrong, but I  believe he had his heart in the right place --  but really, how good on the prediction could he really be -- after all, he is only human.  He was entirely wrong about his prediction, and now, he's got to live with that and move on, while probably facing a buffet line of snide comments and jokes for some time to come.  

All I got to say is he picked it.  
He asked for it.  
AND DON'T WE ALL when it comes to even the unappetizing side of life -- for the most part, we pick it.  we invite it in.  

Sure, sometimes, we jump in without thinking two seconds about it.   While other times, we almost search the buffet of choices over and over, dwelling on it for quite some time before sticking our spoon into something for a big, fat helping of it.  Sometimes the decision is so laborious, it seems like days go by -- should I have some of this or that?  I don't know.   What to do, What to do.  Oh the heck with it, that looks good, load me up on some of that...my mouth is watering just thinking about it...

oh my gosh, but what if it turns out to be too good to be true?  

and it was.  ew. 

But if you really think about it, this preacher is really no different than the 'global warming/cooling/depending upon as the wind blows' enthusiasts -- their predictions  (and some even by learned men/women/scientists), have all come to pass without fruition, leaving their ideas of flourishing finishes totally unanswered, and waiting in a sea of false promises like the rest of them.

Leaving us with the one and only reality worth any measure -- that a promise, or a prediction, is only as good as the one who makes it.  we are only human.  But  God is God.  Only God knows when the end of the world will be.  Only God knows the intricacies of the universe and our planet.  God can do and will do exactly what God wants when it is time.  Who are we to think we know any better.

Our only duty is to recognize how truly little we are and, at the same time -- ladled up with a heaping serving of irony on the side -- just how magnificent we can be.  It is a twisted game of eat this, not that.  Do this, not that.  Believe in this, not that.  And if everything goes to pot, to have faith -- to keep on keepin' on..

Another tidbit of good advice came from a surprising place, during an episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations, which was looking a whole lot more like a home on the range.  He caught up with the avant garde living locally in Livingston, Montana -- an eclectic crowd of painters, writers, foodies and ranchers.  And one of the guys spit this wisdom out along with his favorite tabacco, saying:  "RIGHT IS RIGHT even when nobody is doing it; WRONG IS WRONG even when everybody's doing it."


The thing is, when life really feels like doomsday is upon us (and for me, and how! nothing tasty on this buffet these days) the right thing to do, the only thing to do, is focus on the things that are right, and good, and sound, and secure -- and of course, the more reliable source the better.  For, by doing so, we lift ourselves up to the Lord.  This is about all we can do to know, really know, without any doubt, that we are still -- in spite of all appearances to the contrary -- on the right path.  


For certain IS this moment --  now embracing the wisdom and real life experiences of those who have come before us marking the path, showing us the way, being the light.......  

Which could come from someone so great and wonderful as to have lived a life as an Apostle, like Paul, who had the courage to tell all the world, to write about it (and ultimately be jailed because of his faith in the end)....

.... or, perhaps, it comes from the church lady without a name and known only by the rare brand of Osteen folklore, or do I dare say, Forklore (badadump ba) which continues to live on inside each and every one of us when we are open to receive it...

.....or just maybe, it comes from a best friend through and through, who comes along to pick you up just in the nick of time reminding you, you had it in you the whole entire time... as if, all of a sudden, you are wearing Dorothy's shiny red slippers, or something...telling you to take courage, follow your faith, be the light, and just keep on keepin' on baby...a flourishing finish is in the making and at hand.

Which reminds me of something that just might be a suitable final thought for my flourishing finish :

"what we do for ourselves dies with us; 

what we do for others remains immortal."

Make it a Good Day, G

and how about that prediction from a football guy, Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens, saying basically, if there is no football, plan on a whole lot of fire and brimstone, crime sprees, total chaos in all directions.  That what he thinks will happen.  hmmm...and he might be onto something....

Dear America,

"God our Father, 

we thank you for our families; 

for the love that we share and for the joy of our marriage. 

In the busyness of each day 

keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life 

and help us to be generous 

with our time and love and energy. 

Strengthened by our union 

help us to serve and comfort those who suffer. 

We ask this in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. 

Amen."

Forces of nature at work today, that is the thing.


The Prince and Princess were unable to personalize their vows, however they quickly devised a way to do just that.  How?  None other than pledging their love through a direct path, creating a prayer to God, to each other, for all the world to hear.

And so it is.  That was easy.

Notice the connection between the love for each other with a greater purpose under heaven.  Here are two people who on this day seem larger than life itself, utterly clinging to the simplicity of the moment, reinforcing their clear underlying values of faith, family and marriage, and asking the Heavenly Father for His hand and His guidance in keeping their eyes fixed on what is real and important. strengthened by this day, this vow above all other vows, marches on to pledge their service and ability to help comfort the wider community around them -- beyond the chapel, after the ceremony is done, when life resumes to normal. (Whatever that is, for a prince & princess, right?)


In Kate's hands, she holds a simple bouquet:

Lily-of-the-Valley represents the return of happiness,
Sweet William stands for gallantry,
Hyacinth is for the constancy of love,
Myrtle symbolizes marriage and love,
and Ivy is for fidelity, marriage, wedded love, friendship, and affection.

While right out of an English garden fairy tale, even the Myrtle holds a special place in royal wedding history; the Myrtle sprigs  were clipped from the very same plants going back generations  --  the long line of Myrtle dates back to the wedding bouquets of both Queen Victoria, in 1845, and held by Queen Elizabeth, in 1947.

To pay more homage to all things royal wedding, go here.

But oh the contrast between London and Tuscaloosa on this day.

The entire town of 900 is nearly leveled, having lost the lives of thirty six residents thus far, having barreled down main street, hitting the local Piggly Wiggly grocery store -- the tornado that could very well have been an E5, with winds up to 200 mph -- everything in her wake was destroyed and left in total chaos.  Every family was thrown into a state of emergency; every single family devastated by the immediate and merciless loss of loved ones, a business, a livelihood, a church, a school, a home -- any level of security and peace of mind that preexisted was gone, in an instant.

The numbers keep rising, as far as the entire region is concerned; at 306 people, the sense of finding loved ones who are still missing still alive wears hearts thin as time continues to pick apart all possibility.

While even in the midst of so much sorrow, stories of amazing grace have shown through in small ways, like the family cat found huddled under the kitchen sink, a kitchen still standing as the only room left in the house.  Or how about the parents of an eight year old, who watched their son get swept into a cloud of dust and darkness -- all they could do was pray.  and they did. which leads me to wondering, just what is the proper etiquette in response to the Grace of God, upon hearing the voice of little R.J. miraculously coming home and saying, "I was pulled up into the air!" what do you say?  how can a simple thank you be nearly enough?  Here's more survival stories for you.


Tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, wild fires, thunder and lighting -- mother nature is coming unglued in every way; perhaps God is getting a wee bit disappointed in a little thing called mankind?  there is that.  

what     are        we     good for?

"In the busyness of each day 

keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life 

and help us to be generous 

with our time and love and energy."

as this line keeps calling me back. 

Nestled deep into the roots of this country -- like Myrtle planted over generations -- like Sequoias and Red Woods towering over the land in Yosemite, like the gushing geysers rising out of the earth in Yellowstone, like the Lily-of-the-Valley, mountain Columbine, and California Poppy each running wild in the valleys and prairies and countryside, like the rushing waves upon the beach, the ebb and flow of tide and the constant flow of rivers and streams and waterfalls --  we are reminded of the things that are essential to us.

Living and creating a good life, takes constant care.  In the "busyness of each day" -- after destruction takes over our every thought, word, and deed -- after many in America have simply awakened to any other Friday that comes along, just a day in the life, who just so happen to have the luxury of flipping their attention from a Royal Wedding to the heartbreak in Tuscaloosa, ALABAMA, and MISSISSIPPI, GEORGIA, ARKANSAS, MISSOURI, KENTUCKY, OKLAHOMA, TENNESSEE, and VIRGINIA -- hopefully, at some point, we are each reminded of what Life is all about.  For it could be taken away from us in a heartbeat.

And more than that, this day should bring America pause.

What do we want America to stand for, live for, and truly give our every life and breath for?  It makes me crazy to see the divisiveness within our communities; it makes me so sad to see our body politic deteriorated and reduced to fits of one-ups-man-ship and sideshows, oblivious to the wake of destruction of true statesmanship, and leaving a nation's ethics, honor, and virtue nowhere to be found.

In the beginning, our founders designed our country clearly, if not rather emphatically, under a code of honor and ethics and liberty equally distributed and revered by all, respective of Universal Truths, Universal Rights; it was as if we each stood at the altar and declared our pledge for the safekeeping of our very future --  America vowed to hold dear certain truths -- principles relevant to our inherent duty and delight to be of good character, not just for ourselves but for "the other" as well -- not from a place of blind obedience and force, but from a place of blessed servitude, grace and unconditional love, as a thing to honor for the rest of our lives.

We wanted the joys and responsibility and civility of living within a community based on sound self-government in order to create a more perfect union -- one built upon the freedom to live and think and grow rich in every possible way.  For we are a match made in heaven, by divine providence, indeed .

Just as a marriage, we can't expect our partner, our other half of the union, the other side of ourselves, bring everything to that union or be expected to do all the work.  It takes two.  And yet, for some reason, we are living in a time when the task of living in communion with our duty comes lacking, to say the least.  It is as if we are born with a silver spoon of entitlement and expectation before we have even uttered our first word.

Gone is the sense of responsibility, the duty to do the work.  Gone is the need to remind ourselves, and each other, that the seedlings of yesterday need constant care, a leading perhaps by a trellis, a watering from time to time. We need both the light of day and the quiet slumber of the night; we need to nurture ourselves with reminders of what makes us good, growing a character worth repeating, holding to values worth elevating, on behalf of the budding society for tomorrow.

For to live in a healthy and loving relationship with one another doesn't come by accident, without effort; it doesn't come without making our first intention made known; it doesn't happen without a constant recommitting to the process -- especially following years and years down the road.

In the microcosm, Kate and William know this to be true for themselves on this day; while in the macro, our commitment seems waning by impropriety, lost under the years of values greatly corrupted, left totally indistinguishable from lack of effort, taking for granted any attention to detail, and anything else that falls under the various forms of neglect, apathy and ambivalence.  And as expected, once commitment goes, it all falls down.

Today, I just might look into planting myself some Myrtle under my feet; with all things considered, between hearts singing and hearts breaking on this day, the twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Eleven, it may just do all that I can hope for in this moment.

The thing is, thoughts are things; we can grow the good just as easily as we can grow the opposite effect. Planting a seed for tomorrow exemplifies God's grace; it is a gift from Life to Life itself.  And you never know -- it might just be the last thing that we do that is real and important.

Here's to the celebration of love and marriage on this day, and always.

And may we lend a hand and a heart to the people of Tuscaloosa, and each of the surrounding areas, following the greatest destruction in nearly forty years.

This is a day that the forces of nature have had their way with us -- whipping us into a frenzy of joy one minute, while moments later, we are punched in the gut, taking the air right out of us; the question as to what are we good for is answered with every response.

"Strengthened by our union 

help us to serve and comfort those who suffer. 

We ask this in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. 

Amen."

make it a good day, g

Dear America,

It is Opening Day of the Del Mar Fair -- for locals, we still call it that -- even though it is officially the "San Diego County Fair."

Does it really matter in the great scheme of things what we call it? Probably not -- it is still home to local 4H club kids showing off their pet piggies and lamby-pies just a hop, skip and a jump from the neighborhood's prize rose bud display in the garden arena; sandwiching corrals together, mixing the aromas of manure and cinnamon buns, we can put the kids on the backs of elephants and ponies; where just a quick gallop away we can come along gallery after gallery of elementary artwork to peruse (or at the very least, play the where's waldo game to find your own) or be awed by some body's avant garde collection of bottle caps, webkinz, or action heroes...

anything and everything you think a fair should be is here.

The rickety rides thrown together in 24 hours light up the night, music surrounds us, and the soft ocean breezes blow in from the west -- simply a squat on the bench with a lemonade in hand carries us into another realm of living in an instant, as if all was right with the world...oh and may you sweet deep fried Twinkies take me away...far, far away.

That's right.  The best thing about the fair is the fair food!

and this year is truly no exception -- for it's theme is Taste the Fun!

It is sponsored by local restaurants, like the Brigantine and The Fish Market...Banners wave along Jimmy Durante Boulevard, advertising the fun and reminding us of the yummy-ness of the world in which we live...like a siren calling us in...bringing us front and center to the limelight awaiting us inside....following our nose we go... to the FOOD, glorious food.  (last year it was the Year of the Heroes -- military, policemen, firemen... which was all  well and wonderful and delicious too).

But I am getting way off the boardwalk already; for the thing is, what got me thinking today -- having started with the opening day of the fair -- has rolled into cotton candy and kettle corn of another kind -- and that is our definition of FAIR.

What is fair?  What does it mean?  How do we live in a fair society, equitably and justly, fair and square and objectively?  Are we living more "fairly" today then we did yesterday, or have we tarnished the word altogether, getting broadsided by special allowances or exceptions to the rule?

For in being truly fair, we must be free from favoritism or bias -- not just sometimes, or under manufactured or social justice circumstances, but all the time; for that is only fair.

We designed a government to be limited and true directly related to the absolute fairness and equality of all men as endowed by our Creator.

Some things in life, we can quickly move to respond, in attitude and/or in action, coming from a not-so-happy place of 'that simply isn't fair...'   A position that is a far cry from sitting on a bench, gazing at the stars up above and watching a ferris wheel* go round and round with your baby girl on the lap and the love of your life by your side, wondering what you're gonna eat next...  A far cry indeed.

Sometimes life isn't fair -- either by sudden circumstance, the fate of the family we are born into, the reality back behind making a really bad choice (or two), or even the decisions made by other people totally out of our control or power to change -- as if...

except for the one key ingredient that changes everything -- YOU! Me!  Our will to change the (mis)fortune laid out for us.  There is a reason everything is fair in love and war -- for we are all equal, real life doesn't give any of  us special favors.  True unadulterated life does not come from affirmative action -- unless that action comes from our own two feet forward.  There are no guarantees in real life -- anything can happen to us, around us, for us, against us at any time.

Once in awhile I catch Oprah's narration of the Discovery Channels latest  mini-series on something aptly titled LIFE.  From a story highlighting the tiniest creatures -- like frogs the size of our finger nail found deep in the rain forests -- to elephants living off the land nestled in the savanna of Africa -- life happens either to them or for them every day of their life, as long as they are alive.  A Darwinian survival of the fittest, indeed; fair? Not in the least bit and in every bit, you bet.

It is no accident America has come so far, and in so short a time; if for a moment we can put things in perspective, I believe it would be quite fair to say that our founders gave America a leg up on this merry go round of life.  While all this time -- sitting on the bench, mesmerized by our past successes and glittering lights -- how presumptive of us to think we could carry on the rich traditions, holding tight to the principles which made us rock solid and fortified, by simply showing up; as if that would be enough.

Life requires action and our responsibility to act all by our self; sure, we may be connected to a family, and may actually rely on that family from time to time -- some of us have no family, and we must rely on ourselves all of the time; but our founders recognized the truth inside each and every one of us, and fought long and hard to bring us the fairest of the fair in government.

From what I can tell, after fifteen minutes captured under the spell of "LIFE" --

perhaps it was the mellow, richness of the voice -- Oprah's -- which immediately puts me in a state of calm and reverence -- to what? its a mystery, but she just has this way about her, a voice distinction second to none, I'm positive I could sit on a bench, somewhere in Chicago, and listen to her all day --

but anyway, as she narrated real life happening before our eyes, I'm beginning to think the animal kingdom has a leg up on us!  We have no way to know for sure --  but I ask you, do you think they sit around and lament what they don't have, hanging about the water hole, just waiting for dinner to come to them, like a handout?  Do they not have to show up every day, be it the tedious lifting of relocating their eggs out of danger so that another generation can live -- or climbing down the death defying sides of rocky cliffs in search of food five hundred feet below -- or run after rabbits or squirrels or prairie dogs before breakfast can even be had?

Animals weather acts of God, acts of man, and heinous acts of fellow animals while simply struggling to survive to live to see another day, every day, day in and day out, sun up to sun down, with sleep on high alert the entire night. Animals live neck and neck with a day of survival or not, as if it is just part of their DNA...maybe because it is; they make it look so natural, so easy really, or is it just the fact that we don't normally see it everyday?  The animal world is in constant conflict, dog eat dog is a reality; how can we be so lucky?

Is it fair to say that we are truly advancing, or are we getting dumb and dumber? 

From another angle, are we simply spoiled with our food being caught for us, in our fancy homes protecting us, with our children never knowing what a hard day's work is all about -- you know what I'm talking about, chores at dawn, homework before play, dishes after dinner, with lights out by nine --  and doing it all over again in the morning.

We have life so easy.

The thing is, what is most fair, when it really gets down to it, is everyone being treated the same -- the only leg up is the recognition of our duty to each other; that the continuing success and prosperity of this country, individually and collectively, comes to those who truly understand that there is no leg up in the first place.  We must be motivated to make of life with what we are dealt.

Will it always seem fair? Just? Right? Without bias?  Most likely not; but that's not the fault of the system, that is the fault of human nature.

As just as easily as it may come to some of us, it can be just as swiftly taken away; right now I have in mind the latest casualty, Reggie Bush.  Oh my goodness, a sad day for those of us who live in our  neck of the woods -- a local boy who has been shamed by a system bearing gifts and special benefits to his entire family just because he could play ball. With his Heisman still in jeopardy, only time stands in the way for justice to play itself out -- fair or not, the actions -- every one's, not just Reggie's -- cannot be undone.

While across the ocean we have another level of ball playing out for all the world to see -- for the first high stakes event, The World Cup, of all things -- is on display in South Africa.  Without question, we could have a field day with story-lines of what is fair and just being played out for generations under a veil of unspeakable injustice and long lasting anguish on both sides of the river...the country has been in a state of unrest for forever and a day it seems.

Rather, since sporting events never fail to pick up on the plethora of soul stories for the full scoop on the community of athletes, as well as the surrounding collective,  it may be more fair to choose to listen to real life stories play out of remarkable people rising out of nothing, watch a city light up for the first time ever on the world's stage, risking everything and taking billions of dollars to do it; and hopefully, in the end, be in the midst of witnessing something truly great -- a turn for the better in every possible way for a region wrecked by racial strife and challenges.

And for those of us looking out for team USA, another local boy, Steve Cherundolo, an alum of Mt. Carmel High School here in San Diego, is playing for the American team. And when he was asked about being up against England on Saturday -- a entire team tooting the horn of million dollar babies (with a combined annual salary of $85.8 milion dollars! God Save the Queen) -- he had this to say:

"It's still a team sport, our huge advantage and our biggest weapon is our team spirit, our team unity, our willingness to work for one another..."  all in all, it's just "their eleven guys against our eleven guys, reputations go out the window," added a team mate, Jay DeMerit.

It's a game, and any team can win.  Is that so AMERICAN, or what?!

In other words, it's life -- we live it or lose it, to the fullest extent of the word itself, every day.

Our founders gave America a gift; our government was limited by choice. And to that end, America's success was very much reliant upon the entire team to do their part, day in and day out, fair and square, and most of all, without favor.  They truly believed in our individual ability to succeed in life, through liberty, in our pursuit of happiness; and further, that it was not only free for the taking, but unlimited, whatever we could dream it could be --  if left to our own hard work, talents, and strength of character to usher us into greatness.

To piggyback on Cherundolo, America's secret weapon would be our team spirit, our unity, our willingness to work for one another...with no legs up...and certainly no handicaps.  We could win on our own two feet, and accomplish anything we set our mind to, or totally blow it.  Knowing full and well, things may not be fair and just and right (like a recent no hitter baseball game that didn't get into the history books...)

It might even be said that America lives for the underdog --  and quite possibly, was made by underdogs -- for out of nothing we came out of nowhere and made something happen. 

We are a country that, for the longest time, has been home to the fairest of the fair, the land of the free, home of the brave, and the best and the brightest (even if it's only a state of mind) for as long we have lived; the key now, will be convincing our children, and our children's children, just how much work it takes, day in and day out -- and with that, another anecdote, there ain't no thing as a free lunch (I can see we have a whole lot of work ahead, now don't we).

The fair is in town only once a year -- for the rest of the time,  our moments sitting on the bench with a glazed over expression doing absolutely nothing must find a delicate balance between a life of action and a life of consequence.

However it turns out, rest assured LIFE doesn't play favorites, anything can happen, from beginning to end, until the whistle blows -- if the good Lord willin' and the creek don't rise -- and that's just a fact, of life.

Make it a Good Day, G

Realizing this has no merit and has nothing to do with anything, but maybe England's soccer team could pony-up to help England's BP problem... and dribble a few bucks our way to help clean up the gulf...just saying...85 million dollars a year! ...talk about kicking some butt...

*  the Ferris Wheel, was invented for the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition in 1893 -- by an American Engineer,  George W.G. Ferris (1859-1896).  The purpose of the fair was to challenge american engineers with the task of toppling the engineering feat of building the Eiffel Tower, with something even more magnificent.  Mr. Ferris' idea was thought to be ridiculous -- but he was determined.  He wished to design a contraption that people could ride and be able to view the entire expo...and he did.  It cost $400,000!  But low and behold, in the end, after charging 50 cents/twenty minute ride -- they even made money!  Mr. Ferris was in litigation nearly to the day he died, fighting to recoup his money from the organizers.  He died of typhoid fever before he could enjoy a penny -- fair?  hardly.  But boy did the rest of us luck out.