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.

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.

Cherish

"Now that the holidays are over" said the announcer on tv - WAIT!  STOP!  Holidays over?!  What is he talking about?  Christmas only began yesterday and runs through January 5th.  Today is also the very first day of Kwanzaa and New Year's isn't until next weekend.  I wonder what holidays this guy was talking about!

 

In our rushed lives, we seem to do more planning than celebrating.  It's not uncommon to see Christmas merchandise out at retail stores as early as September.  Folks even seem to decorate their houses earlier and earlier, but then it all seems to come down on December 25th, or earlier!  After hours preparing a nice beef brisket, you wouldn't eat just one slice and throw the rest away! Why do that with Christmas?  I know you wouldn't pop open a bottle of champagne and then have but one glass before throwing out the rest of the bottle!  My family always celebrated the twelve days of Christmas, and I continue the tradition.

 

The race to just get it over with doesn't have to be the way we do things.  Enjoy the holidays - ALL of them.  Enjoy every moment.  Include your coworkers and your friends and your family and even strangers on the street!  Oh and I will never be offended if you wish me a happy Hanukkah, even though I am not Jewish, or a happy or merry holiday of your choosing.  Cherish the time.  No need to rush!

On the first day of Christmas

Despite what many stores will tell you, Christmas doesn't end today.  No, today is actually the first day of Christmas.  In this twelve day celebration I do hope you will take a moment to think about the good things in our lives and the good you can bring to others.  We could even get going and finally extend the spirit of Christmas to every single day of our lives!

The twelve days extend into the new year of course, and how wonderful it will be to start 2023 with this celebration!  Think that the spirit of Christmas is gone? Have faith in humanity.  Believe that there is good and work to make sure that good continues, not just for the twelve days of Christmas, but throughout the year.

 

On this first day of Christmas I won't give you a partridge in a pear tree, but I will give you my hope that every single one of us will be inspired to make a difference in the world and I wish you much joy and peace!

9-8-8

Loneliness and other worries the holidays bring, widespread racism, health issues including COVID-19, and a number of other factors have brought a lot of people to the end. We have seen it in the news far too many times, often involving beloved performers.  The dark thoughts around ending one's life don't get enough attention until it is too late. We should talk about it though. Lives can be saved. The national hotline in the US is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 988. If you have suicidal thoughts or know someone who does, use this number.

Of course, a telephone number doesn't solve everything. I am not just talking about those in crisis. We ALL need to have a better understanding of suicide and we ALL need to value every human life. We need to care more. 

Years ago in Nashville, I volunteered at a suicide prevention hotline, and each day we saw results. Each day we helped people in crisis. A wonderful nurse I know where I live now, has been a leader here in suicide awareness.  I'm not a doctor, but I can tell you of many cases where intervention has saved lives and I urge you to learn a few basic things. The first thing is you are not alone!

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the highest suicide rate is among adults between 45 and 64 years of age, and the second highest rate is persons 85 years or older. That may be surprising, because we so often hear about youth suicides, but elders take their own lives far more often.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. They are committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness.  As they help save lives, let us help them by spreading the word.  The number to call is 988.

All lives are precious, and nobody should feel that things are hopeless or that they are all alone. If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. I urge everyone to become better informed too. We should all understand why people take their lives and how this can be avoided. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is an excellent place to begin. Check out their website at https://afsp.org/