differences

Take a look at the image to the right. Most of you will see three logs if you look at the picture from the left side. However, if you look at it from the right, there appears to be four logs. Hold on! How can this be? Keep looking at it. Two different realities.

Reality can be so complex that equally valid observations from differing perspectives can appear to contradict each other. If you disagree with someone, don't be too quick to dismiss them though. Take a step back and try to look at things from all sides. Perhaps there is more than one correct answer.  This picture is proof.

While it is true that everything is not as simple as this drawing, sometimes our differences aren't really that big a deal after all!  Something we can think about this Saturday morning.

Wednesday

Today is Wednesday, the fourth day of the week (except for folks who don't count Sunday and then, today is the third day).  It is the name of the little girl Addams.  Wednesday is also a song by Tori Amos, the name of a couple of different films, a 70s pop band from Canada, and an opera.  The poem says that Wednesday's child is full of woe. 

 

It is often called "hump day" because it falls in the middle of the standard Monday through Friday work week and so once you finish Wednesday, you are "over the hump."

 

The are many significant things that can be said about this day, but I happen to think that all seven days of the week have special significance.  We can do great things every single day of our life - it really doesn't matter what day it is!  Since Wednesday though is the day upon us, let's go out and make it a wonderful one!

We can all dream

Fifty-five years after The Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr's death, there still exists a divide between his dream and reality. It doesn't have to be that way though. We can all dream. We can all stand up for what is right. We can all make a difference in this world, just like Dr King did.

Today we reflect on the life and legacy of Dr King on this holiday that was created in his honor. I am inspired by a new generation of young activists and leaders who are continuing the fight for racial justice in America and are reminding the world that Black Lives Matter! In fact, as I have written here often, ALL lives matter. Our Jewish and Muslim sisters and brothers matter. Our gay, lesbian, and bisexual friends matter. Our transgender friends matter. Our Hispanic and Asian friends matter. The lives of every single human being matter.

In honoring Dr King’s legacy, let us all recommit ourselves to the fight to dismantle systematic racism, homophobia, discrimination, disenfranchisement, hatred, and the unjust targeting and killing of anyone in our society. We can not only ALL continue the dream, but we have the power to make Dr King's dream a reality!  Let's do it!

He had a dream

We all know who Martin Luther King, Jr was and we are all familiar with his struggles, his accomplishments, his great leadership, and of course his I Have a Dream speech (which was delivered by the way, on my birthday in 1963).  Because King had a dream, so many others have been able to dream too and to accomplish great things.  He was indeed a man who made a difference.  Tomorrow is a holiday in his honor.

We know about the I Have a Dream speech - we may even have heard it, but do we know what else King wrote?  There really was a lot and it's a shame that most are not aware of it all.  Dr. King was a minister, and in that role, he regularly preached sermons - sometimes more than one a week.  He also gave a lot of speeches - literally hundreds of them a year.  He also wrote five books and was interviewed by journalists on numerous occasions.  There is a huge body of work by Dr King that we all should become acquainted with.

Our local libraries are a great source for words not only by King, but also about him.  Speeches and sermons are also easily available online and a quick search with give you a lot of reading material. 

Most of us know one or two quotes from Martin Luther King speeches.  Many come to mind this morning on this day we have set aside to honor him.  One of my favorites is "We are called to speak for the weak, for the voiceless, for the victims of our nation and for those it calls enemy, for no document from human hands can make these humans any less our brothers and sisters."

Because of this blog and my desire to give back to society and to encourage others to do likewise, there is another quote that always flashes in my memory:  "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?"  Think about these words, not only today but in the days to come, and to fully appreciate this great man, read more!  You really will be so much better for it.

Attitude is everything

A reader of this blog left a comment once that said in part "You have an incredibly positive attitude, which is much appreciated in this crazy world."  Thanks for the kind words!  I actually think about that comment often (even though it was probably seven or eight years ago).  Attitude though is everything.  It really is!  Sometimes it is difficult to have a positive attitude, especially when there is so much "crazy" around us.  Never lose hope though.  Never give up!

With COVID-19 still around us, and with mass shootings and suicides happening so often, I know it is difficult.  None of us wants to get sick and none of us wants to see a loved one in distress.  So many are losing jobs and schools are closed and there is a lot to be concerned about.  Hope though can keep us going forward.

I think it was Ralph Waldo Emerson who said, “The person who sends out positive thoughts activates the world around him positively and draws back to himself positive results.”  Indeed.  Keep a positive attitude and watch for the positive results!  Yes, sometimes it might seem like there is a roadblock up ahead, but never give up!

As the great English Prime Minister Winston Churchill said, “Every wall is a door.”

In the beginning

In the beginning this blog was about making a difference.  The reason I started writing it was because I want to make a difference.  I want to change the world.  I figured if I looked for various ways to share with you, some of it would rub off on me along the way.  The more hometown heroes I encounter and write about here, the more ideas I get for things I can do to truly benefit others and make a difference in this world of ours.  In the beginning I had a handful of ideas - now I have tons of ideas and I get more and more every day.

 

I have been so very fortunate to hear about many amazing people who are doing wonderful things and really are making a big difference for the better.  I've even met some of these people and it warms my heart to see the generosity of spirit that exists all over our country.  We all too often hear of the bad things that are happening, but there is also a lot of good.  It's a great joy to tell you these various stories here every morning.  I hope that you enjoy reading my words here.  Do feel free to write your thoughts in the comments section below and feel free to share this with your friends too.

 

In the beginning I thought I might write this occasionally or perhaps for a year or so.  I had no idea that I would spend so much time on it and that I would be telling you stories here day after day and year after year.  I intend to continue too because there are so many stories to be told.  Do you know of someone who is making a huge difference in our world?  Tell me all about it and I'll happily share the story here.

 

In the beginning, Mom was still alive, I still lived in San Francisco, and there was no such thing as COVID-19.  Things change, and not always for the better.  Together though I think we can make some good changes in this year that has just begun.