Living in the past

Are you living in the moment or are you stuck where you used to be; where you always have been? Do you have appreciation for the present, or have you gotten stuck in the past? What about the future? Are you looking ahead or do your eyes seem to be focused on your rearview mirror?

 

I know this blog is NOT about me, but I just have to share some thoughts I had last night.  I was thinking about today and the several things I have planned.  I was also realizing that because I live in a different place than until a few years ago, there are going to be differences.  This pandemic is causing a lot of changes too.  Oh my!  Change?  Can't I have the security of doing things the way I always have?  Yes, there is comfort in familiarity, but there is also a complete lack of adventure.  We also never advance or go forward if we aren't willing to take risks and try new and different things.

 

How about this very minute in your life - are you enjoying it or are you thinking about something from yesteryear?  My experience has shown me the great joy of cherishing every single moment and at the same time looking ahead to the newness of life and the adventures we have along the way. 

 

"Oh I can't wait for this day to end!"  How many of us have said this?  The sad thing is that we are missing the beauty of now.  Years ago on the radio, I used to say "Smell the flowers along the way.  They're only here for a very short while and they need a lot of love to grow."  Living in the past keeps us from the joy of knowing the now and the future.  Live each moment and be glad!

confused?

Today is Memorial Day.  Is it the official start of summer? Is this a boating and picnic celebration? Is today's holiday meant as a time to rest from work? Actually, folks will hang all of those tags on Memorial Day, and an extra day off as summer approaches (it doesn't actually begin until next month) with a little time out on the water, or holding a cookout, can certainly be fun. Please don't think for a second that I dislike any of those things, but today has a larger purpose, and all too often that is overlooked. Even folks who know of a connection to military personnel, will often get it wrong.

The purpose of Memorial Day is to remember and be thankful for all the men and women who died fighting for our country, or from wounds sustained while fighting.  While cemetery ceremonies do indeed happen on Veterans Day (and even to some extent on Independence Day), remembering those who died while fighting is the specific focus of today.  Today was NOT set aside to honor and thank all those people who served honorably in our military (that's Veterans Day). 

But yes, we can have a barbecue or play some softball or even head out to the sales on lawn furniture.  None of those are bad.  Just pause at some point and remember the brave men and women who really made a difference in this world!

Twenty dollar bill

A well-known speaker started off his seminar holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this."

He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air. "Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We may feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE. You are special - Don't EVER forget it."

The story of the twenty dollar bill is one of those that has floated around and I am simply retelling it here. (I do that sort of thing from time-to-time and in fact just shared this story four months ago). I like it a lot though and it speaks to a number of things. Mostly it says count your blessings, not your problems.

Starting young

Last night I was watching young Opie Taylor learn about sharing. You remember The Andy Griffith Show, don't you? It was about life in a small town, where Opie lived with his father - the town's sheriff, and his great aunt. There were laughs, but there were also a lot of life lessons.

In this episode, there was a collection for underprivileged children, and Opie only put in three cents, despite having a full piggy bank. His father tried to impress on him the importance of sharing and of helping out others. His father was also concerned about appearance.  How would it look for the son of the sheriff to be so stingy?

When was the first time you ever did something for somebody else? Do you remember? Do you remember anyone ever teaching you these values? Is it important to get this message at a young age?  Did you give out of generosity or because it would make you look good?

This show treated the subject well.  It wasn't a new concept. They told the story in a fairly straightforward manner. At the end though came a surprise: Opie wasn't being cheap. He was saving to get a coat for a little girl who would shiver come winter, because her family could not afford a new coat for her. Opie, it seems, already knew the importance of helping others!

Do your best

When I was younger, I used to always hear people say, "you might not always have the results you wish, but make sure you do your best."  Oh course your best isn't going to stay the same.  Over time we are all expected to do better and better.  Occasionally we might do worse.

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter weighed in on the subject saying "You must accept that you might fail; then, if you do your best and still don't win, at least you can be satisfied that you've tried. If you don't accept failure as a possibility, you don't set high goals, you don't branch out, you don't try - you don't take the risk." I agree!

I don't have any idea how my day will go, but one thing I do know for certain - I am going to do my best!  That would be a great motto for all of us!

A Life-Changing Story

I have to tell you the words below today are not mine, but this story, which has been circulating on the internet, really touched me. I have no idea of the author, but I am so glad this was written. Please read on -

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her.

 

I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid. As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the overworked shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.

 

As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life.

 

She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.

 

Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes.

 

I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

 

I rescued a human today.

Why do the shootings keep happening?

Yesterday in Texas, right after shooting his grandmother, a man went to an elementary school and began shooting at the kids. Summer vacation was almost here. Yesterday was the second to last day of the school year. At least 19 children were killed. How could this happen? Why?

Earlier this month there was a massacre at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. The next day a mass shooting occurred at a church in California. Add to these the long list of mass shootings at various places across the US. There was the 2017 Las Vegas shooting that claimed 60 lives. Remember too the Orlando nightclub shooting in 2016 where 49 people were killed. In 2007, 32 were killed at Virginia Tech. Twenty seven lives were lost at the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. This is only a partial list. The shootings keep happening.  Why are we willing to live with this carnage?  Why?

Why is it easier to buy a gun than to get healthcare for the bullet wound? What is the answer to this gun violence? Does anybody care? Why do the shootings keep happening? Look at the rest of the world - mass shootings aren't happening anywhere else? How come it keeps happening here? Oh and can somebody explain this open carry thing? Seriously. There are 42 states that allow for open carry of some or all firearms. I'm from California (where that is not allowed) and I just don't understand why someone needs a long-gun when they go pickup their coffee at Starbucks. Why?

Last night, Golden State Warriors coach, Steve Kerr asked an important question: "When are we going to do something?" I wish I had the answer. I am convinced that something can be done, so why wasn't anything been done yet? Why?

Happy pets

How many dogs or cats or birds or other animals, are patiently awaiting the love that a family can give? Animals need love, and it's amazing to see the way they respond to kindness and compassion. (If you don't believe me, check out some of those videos on youtube)!

Bringing an animal into your household and taking care of them, is one of the most amazing things a person can do. Emptying the animal shelters and finding them loving homes is one of those simple acts that really brightens up our world!

Are you away from home a lot with nobody else around to care for a pet? Not a problem. There are other ways to make a difference. For those who live in a "no pets allowed" house or apartment, this is something to think about as well. What about volunteering at a shelter? How about making a donation? Even simply helping to get the word out can be a big help.

The world's pet population needs your support. If you can't adopt - foster. If you can't foster - sponsor. If you can't sponsor - volunteer. If you can't volunteer - donate. If you can't donate - educate. Let's make sure there is nothing but happy pets in our world!

Be the spark

I love it when folks post encouraging things on social media. Encouraging others, I think actually encourages ourselves. Sometimes I read a long and very profound message, and other times it is short and to the point. ("Be Kind"). There always seem to be more encouraging messages around the holidays and especially as the new year begins.  How about now though?  I think we can all use some encouragement in May too.

This morning as I looked at my twitter feed, this jumped out at me: "All it takes is a single spark to build a fire. Commit to being that spark in your community and make a difference." Wow! I couldn't have said it any better.  That's the kind of encouragement I'm talking about.

 

Be the spark.  Isn't that what we talk about here every day - being the spark? More and more I see folks agreeing, and I think this world is getting better each day!  Let's all keep encouraging each other.  Let's all keep making a difference!

Lots of good times and kindness

It was on May 22, 1992 that Johnny Carson said goodnight to America for the last time from that familiar stage at NBC Burbank. Can you believe it's been thirty years?

From Groucho Marx, Rudy Vallée, and Joan Crawford to Robin Williams and Bette Midler, it seems like all of our favorite stars appeared with Johnny. It seems that everyone stayed up to watch him. Many performers began their careers on his show. Ellen DeGeneres, David Letterman, Joan Rivers, Drew Carey, David Brenner, Tim Allen, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Arsenio Hall, Howie Mandel, Jeff Foxworthy, and Don Rickles became household names because of him. I still enjoy the old reruns of the show on Antenna TV, and clips on youtube. Carson was fun. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was the late-night place to be.

On daytime television a fixture for the past nineteen years has been The Ellen DeGeneres Show.  I can remember Ellen's first visit to Johnny Carson and I've enjoyed her performances in many venues over the years.  Her daytime program though is ending soon, with the last new show coming this Thursday.  Despite some controversy in the past few years, it will be missed.  Like Johnny, Ellen introduced us to a lot of new friends.  She also taught us the importance of being kind.

Noting the end of two great talk shows may seem like an odd focus for this space, but I write here about doing good things and about making a positive difference.  I think Johnny Carson and Ellen DeGeneres have both done that.  I'm grateful for all of the good times they have given us.

Never give up

Mark your calendar because tomorrow is a special date.  It was on that date back in 1930, not far from where years later I would be born, Harvey Bernard Milk came into this world. His early years were on Long Island, and even after a stint in the Navy, Harvey returned to Long Island to teach. We remember him more though for the short time he spent in San Francisco, and for the encouraging words he spoke, and for his tragic death.  Tomorrow is officially Harvey Milk Day.

I've written here a lot about Harvey - more than any other person. People need to know who this man was and what he did. His famous "Hope speech" is so often quoted, but there was much more encouragement than that. In a taped message that wasn't heard until after his assassination, he urged gay people to come out. "I cannot prevent anyone from getting angry, or mad, or frustrated. I can only hope that they'll turn that anger and frustration and madness into something positive, so that two, three, four, five hundred will step forward, so the gay doctors will come out, the gay lawyers, the gay judges, gay bankers, gay architects ... I hope that every professional gay will say 'enough', come forward and tell everybody, wear a sign, let the world know. Maybe that will help."

Special observances will take place tomorrow, although I suspect not as many as some past years, this being a Sunday. I will think of him and his legacy.  Hopefully folks in other parts of the country will remember Harvey Milk as well. His political career was short and he didn't accomplish many of the things he would have, but he became a symbol - an icon. He gave us hope, and he continues to, 44 years after his death.

Once, in an interview with The San Francisco Chronicle, Harvey said "If I turned around every time somebody called me a faggot, I'd be walking backward - and I don't want to walk backward."

Harvey Milk led us forward. I recall those days in San Francisco, and the energy and the enthusiasm still exists. There may be difficult moments and our country may regret some political decisions, but we must continue to move forward and never give up. Recalling a portion of Harvey's most famous speech, "The only thing they have to look forward to is hope. And you have to give them hope. Hope for a better world, hope for a better tomorrow, hope for a better place to come to if the pressures at home are too great. Hope that all will be all right. Without hope, not only gays, but the blacks, the seniors, the handicapped, the us'es, the us'es will give up." Let's remember Harvey, and never give up!

Another Mass Shooting

It was an “outrageous act of violence” according to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. “Area residents, commuters, and others simply must have the peace of mind that this highly trafficked area is safe, and it is time for more specific, concrete steps to be taken to address this area once and for all,” she said. This latest mass shooting has left two people dead and eight wounded just blocks from the Magnificent Mile.

It's not just a Chicago thing. It happens everywhere. The week began with a mass shooting in a California church. Last week ended with the slaughter of ten people in a grocery store. With over 200 mass shooting in 2022 so far, just 20 weeks into the year, it averages out to about 10 such attacks a week. I think that's outrageous.

According to Gun Violence Archive, 2019 saw 417 mass shootings in the US. The next year it went up to 611. Last year there were 693 mass shootings. The numbers keep rising. How much worse will it get before people demand some positive and helpful action? Last night at a fast-food place. Last Saturday it was at a supermarket. The very next day a church was a shooting scene. Where can you go and feel safe these days?

I hope that people will began speaking up and demanding action. I hope our leaders will respond to Chicago Mayor Lightfoot and finally take some concrete steps. I hope that folks will begin to care.

The Human Race

The human race, despite the way the name might sound is not about running.  It's not a contest of speed or to achieve superiority.  We can stop trying to show that we are better than the next person, because in reality, we are all equal. 

 

Now, don't get me wrong.  There are certainly people who do great things and we might not all do those things, but we all can aspire to greatness!  We all can make the attempt.  Along the way we can learn a lot from other people.  We can appreciate them and be inspired by them, but it is a complete waste of time for us to compete against them.

 

Now I am not talking about athletic contests here.  Sports are great, but we are not measuring if one person is better than another.  Competition is not a bad thing, but we should be competing against our self, or at least our younger self.  

Can I be a better person than I was yesterday and the day before?  The answer of course is yes and we can aim higher and higher each day.  An old slogan for the US Army said "Be all that you can be."  That should be the goal of all of us.  The human race is the course that each one of us travels in our quest to do good and to make a difference and to be the best we possibly can.

Often is heard an encouraging word

Originally written by Dr Brewster M. Higley of Smith County, Kansas as part of a poem entitled My Western Home, back in the early 1870s, the line "Where seldom is heard a discouraging word," is familiar as part of the song Home On the Range. Around here we borrow from that idea but state it in the positive: Often is heard an encouraging word!

 

Why not?  It is so uplifting to raise others up too.  Speaking to cheer or to console or simply to refresh is such a positive experience - it warms your heart!  Besides, who needs all the negativity?  There is certainly enough of that in the news every day.  How much more rewarding it is to see the good in our world and to encourage more of it!

 

I really like looking our at the beauty and the positive energy in our world.  Dr Higley's poem has another very uplifting line later on too.  He writes

          "How often at night, when the heavens were bright,

                                                         With the light of the twinkling stars

Have I stood here amazed, and asked as I gazed,

If their glory exceed that of ours."

Nice

"Have a nice day!" we tell folks. Many years ago, I used to close my radio program saying "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice." I think we can all agree that NICE is good. I also used to say that nice is never out of style! I know some production people in LA who say that all the time too.

George Foreman was a fighter, so it might surprise you that he has spoken of the importance of being nice. Foreman said "It's very important that people know that I really enjoy everything that has happened to me. And I tell my kids 'you're not going to be the tallest, fastest, prettiest, the best track runner, but you can be the nicest human being that someone has ever met in their life.' And I just want to leave that legacy that being nice is a true treasure."

Lately we haven't seen as much nice as we should. That doesn't mean it is no longer important though. I "think we all just need to try a little harder. That includes me of course. The nice people you encounter today, the nice moments you experience, will warm your heart and you will remember them far longer than any bad moments. Make somebody's day.

Death where is thy sting?

"Death is a very dull, dreary affair, and my advice to you is to have nothing whatsoever to do with it," was the advice of W. Somerset Maugham. I disagree. In the Christian tradition, and that of many other religions, death is actually a joyful occasion, even though it certainly stings. 

Many people that I know have recently died. Too many.  All of them happen to have been Christians, and several of them very actively involved in church life. They were convinced that life was not ending, just changing. Yes, it is very sad when someone we love won't be around to interact with us. I'm not saying it isn't, or that it is unchristian, but Jesus Himself wept at the grave of his friend. The celebration of a person's life is the happier and more joyful way to approach this. Of course, in these days of COVID-19 it seems like we are being cheated out of being with those we love in their final days and unable to do traditional celebrations of their lives.

T. S. Eliot said, "I had seen birth and death but had thought they were different." Are they different though? When someone is born to their earthly life we always rejoice, and it is said that we should do they same, when they are born to eternal life. What is there about a loved one that made you love them? What moments did you share that were special?

Saint Paul said "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" That might not be the most reassuring thing he ever wrote, but in his letter to the Romans, he gives us a blessed assurance that takes away all of our fears when our mortal life is over. "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Remember those who are no longer with us. Rejoice in having known them. Hold your fond memories and even share them with others. Look to the day when you too will be born to eternal life and you will be reunited with family and friends, and be thankful.

Say their names

Pearl Young moved to Buffalo, NY back in 1967 after marrying her husband, Oliver Young Jr. News accounts last night said that she was a Sunday School teacher, a substitute teacher in the public schools, the head of a local food pantry, and for 25 years, a volunteer at her church's soup kitchen.

I never met Pearl Young, but from what I have heard in the last twelve hours or so she was wonderful, the kind of person that everyone loves. Yesterday, her sister dropped her off at the supermarket. It would be the last time Pearl would enter the store. I gunman shot thirteen people in that Buffalo supermarket, ten of them fatally.

Police are investigating this horrible crime, but all evidence indicates that this was a hate crime.  In this predominately Black neighborhood, most of the victims are Black.  Now families are mourning and a  community is reeling from this tragedy, all because of hate. Please don't let this kind of thing keep happening. We need more love. We need to stop the hate.

Please remember the dead. Say their names.

                                                                     

Pearl Young

Roberta A. Drury

Margus D. Morrison

Andre Mackniel

Aaron Salter

Geraldine Talley

Celestine Chaney

Heyward Patterson

Katherine Massey

Ruth Whitfield

get out of that rut

Has your routine become boring and your daily existence rather humdrum?  Well, get out of that rut!  If you have been sheltering in place these past several months, it is easy to get bored.  Things can be changed!  You don't have to be a constantly turning hamster wheel, but it is up to YOU to do something about it.  First, know that things can change!

Sometimes you have to spice things up - do things a little differently.  Make good use of all your resources.  Set attainable goals.  You don't have to change every single thing you do, but some change can be quite stimulating and get the whole positive energy flowing.  Sometimes you just have to get out of your comfort zone, or at least know what your comfort zone is.

Regrets? Not always a good thing. Regret can bring our mood down and toss us into dead-end thinking where we can actually get stuck. Turn that regret around. What if I had done something differently?  Well then, actually DO IT differently!

There is no quick answer to getting out of a rut.  Things will be different for each person.  Know too that you might need help and don't hesitate to get it.  There is no shame at all in seeking help.  If addiction or depression is contributing to this rut, do indeed get someone to help you with it.  Just know that things CAN change.

Friday

Everybody gets excited about Friday.  Of course, the reason is because many folks don't work on the weekend and for those going to school, that is almost always a Monday through Friday situation.  Yeah!  Friday is here!  I'm so happy!  Oh course it's Friday the thirteenth, so many won't be happy.  Oh my!  Don't be fooled.  There are no unlucky days.

 

Well I'm always ready for a good celebration and being happy for two days off from work is certainly not a bad thing, but shouldn't we be happy EVERY day?

 

Don't like going to school?  Perhaps you are not taking the right classes.  Hate your job or unhappy with the way things are right now at work?  Do something about it.  Perhaps it's time for a change.  Instead of rejoicing when Friday arrives, we should celebrate every single day of the week.  Mondays don't have to be a dreaded day.  We can have our Friday kind of happiness every single day of he year.

 

Happy days are upon us.  Let's see that they are ALL happy!

Wheels on the bus go round and round

Back when I lived in San Francisco, I rode the bus nearly every day. There was a lot of complaining about the buses being crowded at certain times of day, or about them running late, but it was still a pretty good way to get around. When I saw the same driver and he or she would smile or call me by name, that was a nice warm connection that seemed to melt other problems away.

Dealing with so many people every day would seem to be a pretty tough job, and yet most of those bus drivers were so good at their task. It particularly warmed my heart when they gave you a "bonus" like the drivers that sang out the stops or who made those extra announcements, especially when there were some jokes thrown in.

Recently a friend of mine told me that he had lost his wallet while riding a bus. Losing money is never good, but when your ID and credit cards, and all those other things you carry are gone too, it can ruin your day. When the mail came a few days later, and it contained his wallet, that was a lovely surprise! Enclosed with it was a simple note: "I found this on my coach. Signed, Bus Driver." He wanted to get it back to its owner, but didn't care about any thanks, so didn't leave his name or any kind of identification. What a nice driver!

The operators of public transportation preform an important service. Too often we moan about the negative moments and ignore all the positive. The next time you ride a city bus or taxi, let your driver know they are appreciated.

Expand your horizons!

Expanding our horizons is one fairly easy way to change the world. When we increase the range of things that we know about or have experienced, we open up so many new possibilities. Is trying something new every day a pretty tall order? Consider doing it every week with at least one bigger thing every month.

Now to make this work, it might help to write some things down on your calendar. Certainly you can leave some events to chance, but planning ahead will give you a much better chance of success. Begin with events that take place in or near your community such as concerts or parades or fairs. How may of them have you always said "someday I should do that"? Well, why not make the next event your someday?

 

It's amazing how rewarding it is to broaden your horizons!  You don't have to limit yourself to scheduled events too.  Go out and try new things like tutoring a student, serving food to the homeless, answering phones at your favorite non-profit, or maybe some daredevil idea like bungee jumping or skydiving.  Go on a retreat for a weekend, either with a group, or by yourself.  There are so many possibilities!  Oh and if you really want to benefit, share your experiences as well!

Conversation On A Bench

Can you remember the film Forrest Gump, where Tom Hanks' character sat on a park bench and told his life story? Picture yourself doing the same thing. It's a beautiful day and you are sitting on a nice comfortable bench. Think about that for a moment.

Sometimes the stories we share can make a huge difference. Sometimes the people we interact with can make a huge difference too. If you could sit down on that bench with anyone at all, who would you choose? If you are picturing a large bench, perhaps you should choose two people to share your conversation with.

Now most of us don't have the luxury of sitting down to chat with whomever we might wish, but we do have the power to make a difference. The next stranger you encounter, just might be someone who has that special something to share. Don't be afraid to meet new folks and to say hello to strangers. You might end up in a life-changing conversation on a bench.

F NOT Fitzgerald

The other day I read a wonderful quote that had been attributed to F Scott Fitzgerald. It was one of those encouraging things that often will end up on a poster, but as I was reading it, I also learned that the words were not his. Oh my! The article actually went on to say that there are many instances these days of quotes wrongly attributed on the internet.

Now Fitzgerald was an incredible writer. There is no denying that. He died at a very young age, but had he lived longer, there is no telling how many more wonderful stories he would have told. Among his works are This Side of Paradise, The Beautiful and Damned, The Great Gatsby, and Tender Is the Night. In addition, Fitzgerald penned dozens of short stories.

The quote I was speaking of though is the very kind of thing I like to share here. It likely came from a screenwriter by the name of Eric Roth. There is much evidence that it was not Fitzgerald's. Still, it's a wonderful quote:

“For what it’s worth … it’s never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit. Start whenever you want. You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people who have a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.”

Our Moms

My mom was the best mother in the world! (I'm sure many of you have wonderful thoughts too about your own mom, be she among the quick or the dead). I don't remember many Mother's Days though. Oh there were happy times galore (like when I, at the age of twelve, baked Mom a birthday cake with so much food coloring in it that it didn't cook all the way through, or the time the bartender at my sister's wedding gave Mom WAY too much alcohol, or riding the carousel at Pier 39 with Mom, or the great joy she had with her new kitty), just not a lot of celebrations on Mother's Day.

How wonderful that there is a day set aside to honor our mothers! It's a shame that we don't always take advantage of it. Of course, I am of the opinion that we should honor our mothers every single day of the year, not only on the second Sunday in May. I'm reminded of an old Captain Kangaroo song, 'It's Another Be Good To Mommy Day."

For weeks now I have seen advertising for gifts, keepsakes, flowers, special brunch (or other meals), cards, flowers, and just about anything to honor our mothers. Too commercial? Well according to Wikipedia, "Americans spend approximately $2.6 billion on flowers, $1.53 billion on pampering gifts—like spa treatments—and another $68 million on greeting cards." Wow! Now I'm not saying our mothers aren't worth it, but I think gifts from the heart have more meaning. Treat Mom to breakfast in bed. Give her a hand made card. Offer more help around the house. Show her you love her.

Today might be a difficult day for those whose mother has passed away but honor her with your memories of her and let the world see her goodness when they see the good person you have become.  Whether you mother is alive or not, think of her today, and be grateful.  

How many

Hearing this same question several times in reference to the lgbtq community, I just HAVE to say something. In reference to same sex marriage, I heard it asked "Why should we be concerned about such a small group of the population?" This month I have heard two different people saw the same thing about our transgender sisters and brothers. Just yesterday, I heard someone on television ask why bathroom accommodations should be made when there are so few people involved. I can recall back in the early days of AIDS there was concern about the blood supply, and it was said that too few people were involved to make testing of the blood worthwhile.

How many does it take? When will we stop discriminating. Justification of our various prejudices has often been linked to numbers. If a race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion or any other group is in the minority, some folks think that is reason to discriminate. What about abused animals?  Are tons of dogs, cats, horses, or other animals mistreated in your community? It isn't the number that we should be concerned about, because any abuse, yes ANY, is too much.   "Not many of them, so they don't count."

WRONG!

Everyone counts. Everyone is important. I'm sorry if I seem to keep getting up on my soapbox, but I have to say this. In fact, I want to scream it from the rooftops! All lives matter. Everyone should be able to live a full and rich life without fear or intimidation. Everyone. It doesn't matter how many. Now let me be clear. I'm not saying that any action is okay. We aren't talking about what folks do, but rather who folks are. Discrimination based on identity is wrong.

You are a child of the universe

Last night I kept hearing the words of this poem in my mind, and so I decided to write about it today - The Desiderata. Early in 1972, Les Crane's spoken-word recording of this poem (a poem with a very confused history, but I won't go into that), peaked at #8 on the Billboard chart. I can still remember listening to it over and over back when I lived in Nashville. As you all know though, this is NOT about me.

The words are quite inspirational. "As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons." Who can argue with that? "If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself." Certainly this is another good thought. The poem is full of them! The words - the ideas - the list of things to be desired (the actual translation of desiderata) here are so uplifting!

My favorite part of the poem, is a section that was used as a refrain in the recording: "You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should."

Heartwarming ballpark moment

This week at Rogers Centre in Toronto, the hometown Blue Jays were playing the New York Yankees. Nothing unusual about that. The cool thing though is the reason I am telling you this story. 

Yankees player Aaron Judge's eighth home run in 10 games traveled 427 feet and into the hands of a ... of a Toronto fan. No problem. Seeing a Yankee fan nearby, the man who caught the homerun ball, went over and gave it to this young boy. If you were watching on tv, you would have seen the raw emotion that followed. Oh my!

Young fan had tears of joy upon receiving Judge's ball, but the story doesn't end there.  After the game, both the Blue Jays fan who caught the ball, and the young Yankees fan he gave it to, went down to the Yankee dugout and met Aaron Judge.  What followed were more tears, and I ballpark experience both fans will never forget.

This is the kind of thing I would love to see more of.  This is pure kindness!

Happy Birthday Keith Haring

Back in 2014, when the Rainbow Honor Walk was dedicated in San Francisco, I had the great privilege of joining with a friend to unveil the plaque in honor of Keith Allen Haring, an incredible artist whom I have always admired.

Keith Haring's life was way too short. Today he would have turned 64. Hard to believe. Keith passed away from AIDS-related complications in 1990, but his legacy lives on not only through his art but through the work of the Keith Haring Foundation, which makes grants that support a wide array of not-for-profit organizations. He lived for only 31 years, but his art and social activism will live forever, because he was not afraid to be seen. He did not live his life in secret, but he boldly let the world see him, and in doing so let the world see his brilliant work. One of his creations became a logo for National Coming Out Day because he was truly a logo in the way he lived, and that should inspire us all to lead an uncloseted life.

The next time I am in the middle of Castro Street in San Francisco (between 18th and 19th Streets) and see Keith Haring looking up at me, I'm going to meditate on his own words: "Art will never leave me and never should. So as I go into the next part of the trip I hope it will be more creative and more work involved and less talk and more doing, seeing, learning, being, loving, feeling, maybe less feeling, and just work my ass off, ’cause that, my friend, is where it’s at!"

Words of truth

The great Nelson Mandela was one of those people who always inspired. He was the very kind of person I had in mind when I first decided to write a blog encouraging others to get involved and to make a difference in this world. Listen to the words of truth from any of his speeches and you'll see what I mean.

One very profound statement by him that I just read was about love and hate. Read President Mandela's words below, and think about them -

"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."

It is no wonder the South African leader received more than 250 awards over four decades, including the1993 Nobel Peace Prize. He spoke words of truth.

inspire someone

Did you ever see such a powerful act of love that you were moved to tears? Even in the midst of so many hate crimes and two recent mass shootings, there are still moments that warm our hearts. Has something you read about or even something that you were actually involved in led you to want to do more?

We can find inspiration in so many places. Sometimes one person’s inspiration can be just as moving to others. 

With that in mind, I invite you to share with us here any inspirational moments you have encountered. Leave a comment below. Write as much or as little about the experience as you like. Write something though - we would really love to hear from more of you!  I know I frequently ask for comments, but it truly is good to hear from those who read this.  

Perhaps YOU will inspire someone!

Babies Don't Hate

This is a baby. Yes, I know that is obvious, but there are a few other obvious things about babies that I would like to point out.

 

Babies don't hate you because of your skin color and they don't hate you because of your race or your gender identity or your sexual orientation. Babies don't hate you because of your weight or your religion or your sex. Yes, it may be obvious, but in fact babies don't hate you for any reason at all! Do you know why? They don't understand the concept. They don't know how to hate.

 

A wonderful article several years ago titled See Baby Discriminate said that children as young as six months could judge others based on their skin color. Where are they getting these ideas? Who is teaching our children? The answer of course is that we are. We are teaching discrimination. We are teaching hate. We are taking away the innocence of our children.

 

Parents and teachers are not bad. That's not my message here. What I am saying is that babies come into the world without any notion of hate. Let's not give it to them!