ELECTION DAY 2012 PLUS ONE . . .

I am so pleased my candidate won; I thought it might not happen.

I can only imagine how disappointed and frustrated Mitt Romney and his team are feeling right now. They worked hard and long for the opposite outcome. What a gracious concession speech he made. How commendable of him to offer his support to his opponent on behalf of the American people. Integrity reasserts itself once more. Yeay! We need more of that on both sides of the aisles in Congress.

For it is the American people who lost the most these past four years. The result of Congress’ refusal to behave responsibly and respectfully towards one another to solve the problems facing this country. Choosing instead to draw lines in the sand – refusing to cooperate and compromise. To the detriment of the people.

Once again, we have another chance. As the President said last night; we must learn to work together – disagree respectfully, and sometimes compromise – but ultimately pull together for the good of all.

OR we can beat our breasts, rant and rave, scream doom and gloom . . . and sit on our butts and do nothing. Wasn’t it Chicken Little who ran around the barn yard yelling, "the sky is falling, the sky is falling . . .?"

Speak it, believe it, see it. It works in the negative as well as the positive. Some folks call it "self-fulfilling prophesy".

A nation divided against itself . . . We deserve better than that. I think we are better than that..

But we won’t get it by ranting and raving how bad it all is on radio talk shows or by sitting in front of the TV (or computer) with a bottle in our hand and a bowl of popcorn in our lap watching the latest reality show.

A government "of the people," "by the people," "for the people" requires something FROM the people. Let’s hope folks from both sides of this political debate take the momentum from the campaign and transfer that enthusiasm and hard work into beneficial programs and activities at our churches, schools, and communities.

Yes, Hillary, it does take a village -- a community, a government, a society pulling together for the betterment of all. We are our brothers’ keepers.

The best is yet to come. Speak it, believe it, see it.

Sarah

Election Day 2012

SO. Today is THE DAY!

All this wrangling, hate speech, finger-pointing will be over. HA! In my dreams. The unconscionable amount of money spent . . . money that could have bought food, medicine, shelter . . . put to productive and good use . . .

Since retiring, especially since moving to my wonderful little house with its yard and garage and bonus room (for my office) and ESPECIALLY a GAS LOG FIREPLACE, Rocky and I start the day with coffee -- thanking God for the coffee  :)  -- and His other blessings to us, which are many, and reading a few scriptures. Then it’s off to my office for writing and/or genealogy-ing for most of the day til Rocky comes and reminds me it’s time for his walk.

Funny how you can read something over and over and then one day certain words POP right out at you . . . and you think . . . "ohmygosh, I never understood it THAT way before."

Part of my morning ritual is to pray for my country and one thing I have gotten into the habit of affirming is, "America stands with God; God stands with America." Ta-Da! Speak it, believe it, see it.

A few mornings ago I was sitting with my coffee in front of my WON-DER-FUL gas log fireplace (sometimes it’s too cold to sit on the porch now) reflecting and praying for my country and suddenly a scripture came to my mind . . . "if my people who are called by my name will turn from their wicked ways, I will heal their land" (that’s a paraphrase). I looked it up; it’s pretty much what 2 Chron. 7:14 says.

BOING . . . BOING . . . Light bulb flash! "MY people who are called by MY name . . .

WHOA!! I keep praying for America to line up with God because I know He will then line up with HER.

But that’s not what God said . . . AMERICA doesn’t have to turn from her wicked ways . . . which, in spite of the good, are many.

It’s me . . . it’s US . . . the ones who wear His Name.

I’ve read this scripture many times in my life. I just never "got it" on this level before.

America’s good or wicked ways are not the problem. I am. WE are.

Okay, preachers, Christian spokespersons . . . stand up and shout this from the rooftops, from your pulpits, your radio/TV shows.

Then I – you – us – can stop worrying about our future.  Regardless of who is elected.

Hal-le-lu-jah!

The BOO and YEAY Of It . . .

     In my family, of four grown children, two boys, two girls, I am considered the W.O.W. That means Wacky Old Woman or Wise Old Woman, depending on who’s saying it. If you get my drift. (I took an online survey once and, according to how I answered the questions, I was identified as a "centrist." Sounds reasonable to me since I think I am conservative, liberal, or libertarian, depending on the issue).

     Following is an email exchange which illustrates my point perfectly. It certainly was a "BOO" and "YEAY" day for me.

The BOO . . .

Darling First-Born Son --

     Re this excerpt from your thoughtful (as in well thought out) email --

. . . many of your statements sound good but epitomize short-term thinking. I think you're intelligent, but you haven't trained yourself to consider the bigger picture as well in many cases.

     What could be more fair-minded, or reasonable, than to say -- get rid of all PACs -- limit ALL campaigning to six months prior to the election -- and give ALL candidates the same FREE TV time. ????? Why is that short-term thinking? What is the big picture I'm missing?

     I am so sorry you perceive this in my thought process. It is exactly THE OPPOSITE of what I try to do. Of course I am limited by my intelligence and knowledge of the issue. Level of intelligence I can do nothing about. Knowledge of the issue -- I can and do. Frequently I change my opinion about something when I learn more about it. I do NOT, however, stay glued to the Media and/or radio talk shows. In fact, I avoid them.

     I have purposely -- in my old age -- cast off many things I consider tedious or not interesting (to me) or not uplifting. I have more than enough to occupy my time playing in my yard or writing or Genie searching or being with family/friends. 

     If I am interested enough to have an opinion about something, the way I got there was by sitting and thinking (sometimes over a period of months or years which is why my opinion frequently changes) through the issue -- to the best of my ability. (You can stop laughing now . . . ) 

     Frequently, what seems like a good idea -- when pursued to its logical conclusion -- ends up being not so good after all. 

     Frequently, what seems like a good idea, even after I have pursued it to its logical conclusion -- ends up NOT being the case when I discover new information. (I.e., new information changes the premise that you take forward to its logical conclusion which, in turn, may no longer be the desired result.)

This is how I figure out every problem or situation or philosophical issue I confront. It makes me sad to think you see no evidence of this in me.

* * * * *

     One current example is the furor over Picture IDs. On first reflection, my thinking was that it is a good thing and it should be required. I still think it's a good thing and everyone should have a picture ID BUT, I have learned some things I didn't know and now think it probably shouldn't be a requirement, for now, for voting in this election. Picture IDs is NOT rocket science. We need to put in place a system for every citizen to get one; why we don't already have it, I don't know. But we don't. I did not realize how many legitimate potential citizens/voters would not be allowed to vote if they pass this requirement. (*)

* * * * *

     Interesting and serendipitous to this email conversation is the fact that I got a call yesterday from my uncle, a musician, who lives in another state. He called to ask if he could give my phone number to his son. I can't imagine any reason other than my genealogy work (which is in a private tree on Ancestry.com (with no info re living persons, BTW). My uncle thought that might be the reason also. His wife used to be on my email list for exchanging questions/data but dropped off some time ago.

     Then we talked for a few more minutes. His wife puts some great stuff on her Facebook page and since we are "friends" I get to see it. She is a nurse, very animal orientated, AND frequently puts political jokes or info on her page. The weird part is the political stuff is all left leaning and supportive of President Obama.

     Since I know this uncle is ULTRA conservative, I jokingly asked him about this -- I thought maybe I misunderstood something. He admitted she is "unfortunately liberal" (his words).

     We talked a little longer and I mentioned that all my kids considered me the wacky old liberal of the family.

     His REPLY is why I'm telling you this.

        He said, "Oh, Sarah, I don't see you as being very liberal politically; I do think you are liberal in the sense of being open minded about things.

     I nearly fell off my chair! But thanked him and shortly after that we hung up.

     I'm sure he has NO IDEA HE MADE MY DAY!!! 

     We have only seen each other a few times in my whole life and have had only a few conversations -- and yet he perceives this about me.

     He sees me as I see myself. WOW!

"being open minded about things" -- from my perspective -- encompasses a whole lot of things I try to be. And to think he "gets it".

     Just a casual remark from him, I think, but it made my day.

     And that’s the "YEAY!" of it.

     If only . . .

Blessings All --
Sarah

(*) Since first writing this, I have learned more. If this is true (i.e., that "on the spot" picture IDs will be offered to anyone who needs one at the time of voting) then I am not opposed.　
　
　
　
　

Losing a Mate

Replying to a friend’s blog in which she talked of the loss of her mate due to his death, more than a "reply", I realized I had just written a new entry for my own blog.

Dear (Blank):

Just read your latest post. I lost my husband in a different way -- through divorce -- after 22 years. I even hooked up afterwards with someone else for 8 years and then WE married, for 7, and then WE divorced.

I raised (4) children with my first husband. It was a tumultuous relationship from the beginning. I was young and naive at first; he was 3 years older and had been married once already. Thru the years his humor, more and more with a sarcastic wit when directed at me, finally did us in. Me, because I reacted, not from love but from hurt or anger. He, because he stopped loving who I became trying to cope with his sarcasm and, finally, out and out criticism.

My biggest regret in life is being unable to learn to live out my days with the father of my children. Somehow I was wise enough to tell them, thru the ensuing years, to maintain/keep alive their relationship with him. Even though he was "hard" on us all, my children managed to do so. Faults notwithstanding, he was basically a good man; a good provider and father to the best of his ability.

Sadly, he passed in 2008. I drove back to Michigan with one daughter for the funeral. It is heart-breaking when the father of your children passes, no matter what. We stayed a couple of days. At the home of his widow of 19 years.

Through the years we all came to understand that much of his behavior was due to insecurities formed when HE was a child -- the sins of the father . . .

Regardless of how you lose a mate, it is a painful, sorrowful process, and learning to live again an ongoing process.

I am no longer interested in forming another romantic relationship. Frequently, however, I long for the experience of sitting on my screened-in porch -- of an evening or morning -- or sharing a poignant "old" movie on TV -- or a special memory – with a long-time companion, a husband, for instance. Someone for whom there is frequently no need to talk but just "to be" . . . together.

Regards,

Sarah

Meditation

     Something to ADD TO your existing religious study/prayer/practice. Most, if not all, major religions teach, practice, and understand the value of meditating. One way Christians, I believe, can relate is based on the scripture, "Be Still and Know that I Am God".

     Wayne Dyer has written a lovely little Chap Book with accompanying CD explaining/teaching how to practice meditating by "getting in the gap". He uses the first line of the universal Christian prayer, "Our Father, Which Art in Heaven . . .". The idea is to pause between each word –

     Our . . . Father . . . Which . . . Art . . . In . . . Heaven . . .

Try to stay "in the gap" between the words longer each time –

     Our . . . . . . Father . . . . . . Which . . . . . . Art . . .

     With practice, which includes slow, deep breathing, you can stay "in the gap" for longer periods of time. "In the gap" is where you meet God, where you experience peace, where you are renewed in body, mind, and spirit.

     I like to sit on my porch in the morning, after drinking my coffee and reading some passages in my Bible. I am still a novice but the way it works for me is when I close my eyes I concentrate on the darkness of the screen behind/in front? of my closed eyes. I see vague muted colors and images which "float" slowly in and around on this screen.

     It seems relatively easy to concentrate on this "screen" and that enables me to keep my mind clear. I am aware of the music softly playing in the background (I keep my TV tuned to Easy Listening all day until evening when I watch the News and/or some taped program), and I can hear the birds chirping in the yard but I lose touch with some part of reality.

     I know this separation happens to some degree because this morning Rocky was siting on the porch lounge with me when I began and right away he jumped off and went back in the house. When I finished meditating, I’m guessing 10-15 minutes later, I opened my eyes and he was back on the lounge with me. I never heard him come back out or jump up on the seat. Seeing him laying there next to me when I opened my eyes was a lovely surprise.

* * * * *

     I watched a program one evening about a town in Iowa (I forget the name) that has two meditation centers – one for men, one for women; the town residents come there twice a day to meditate together.

AHA! I found a link about the program on the Internet –http://theuncarvedblog.com/2010/07/06/abc-newsnightline-transcendental-meditation-in-vedic-city-iowa/

"Famed film maker David Lynch spends a lot of time in Vedic City. He started the David Lynch Foundation, which, in the last four years, has provided scholarships for over 100,000 kids to learn to meditate for free in schools across the country.

"It’s not a religion. It’s not against any religion, it’s not mumbo-jumbo. It truly does transform life," Lynch told ABC News. "Kids come to school and they meditate together for 15 minutes in the morning. And before they go home they meditate for 15 minutes. A lot of them come from, you know, bad situations, and so this gives them this thing you know, at the beginning and the end of the day, the rest of the time you just watch the violence stop. Watch relationships improve. Watch happiness in the hallways, in the classroom, watch creativity flow more and more, watch that heavy weight that we are living under gently lift away."

* * * * *

     One of the things they all pray for is World Peace.  All right, people. Christians. Attention, please.
　
"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
— 2 Chronicles 7:14, New King James Version (NKJV)

* * * * *

     All I have to say is, try it, you’ll like it.    :)

Sarah
　
　
　
　

A Lovely Day in the Neighborhood . . .

So, after running errands, I worked on my computer, as usual, til around 5 p.m. and then went out in the yard to plant and weed. Since my June surgery, doctor said, "no mowing" but nothing about planting and weeding. Yeay! I LOVE IT.

So then I took a shower and took Rocky for our evening walk. Then came in to eat dinner (8:30 now) and turned TV from Easy Listening. Flipping channels, there was another Doo Wop Special -- almost over.

I have been listening to these specials for years -- the music of my teens. Each time I flip the channels and find it on, I think I will not listen . . . this time. I've heard these songs over and over, afterall, and . . .

but THIS one -- Johnny Maestro singing one of my favorites –"Worst That Could Happen" – I've got to listen to THAT one . . . just for a minute . . .

And then I'm hooked once again. Instant memories of youth and fun and young love and dances and breaking up . . .and making up . . . and making out . . . and skating rinks and Friday night Sock Hops and . . .

Even Rocky sat there at the end of the couch -- looking and listening -- just like he does when I turn on Animal Planet.

So I guess I'm not so crazy, afterall . . . maybe.

Tribal Mentality . . . Alive and Well

Attending a family gathering yesterday, two people (who I love and will therefore remain unnamed) took delight in ridiculing and criticizing the president for his recent comments.  Agitating me, that's the name of the game, of course.  I get it.  But still.  They know I will take the bait.

So here goes . . .

They each are, or have been, small business owners. The comments they attributed to the president were that he claimed it was not THEM who built their businesses; i.e., it was not through THEIR efforts they were successful in their businesses.

My response then was, and still is, any time I listen to President Obama speaking, I mostly agree with everything he says.

I made the point I always make -- Left and Right -- politicians, Talking Heads, Media -- all distort and misrepresent what the other side is saying. Biased Left or Right -- that's the name of the game.

How sad so many "regular" Folks seem to have a hard time acknowledging this. I guess it's because they are biased too. Since they repeat these "taken out of context" statements to ridicule, criticize, and make fun of the person or thing they dislike.

Know anyone like that???????
= = = =
I actually had heard part of the speech being quoted -- something happened and I missed some of it -- a few nights ago. So I went looking for it online a few minutes ago -- and found it, of course. As usual and as I expected, Obama's few statements -- that were being ridiculed and criticized -- were said in a context totally different from what was now being expressed.

Why am I not surprised?
= = = = =
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/13/remarks-president-campaign-event-roanoke-virginia
= = = = =
A Portion of a GREAT Speech --

--- Quote  --
"I’ve got a different idea. I do believe we can cut -- we’ve already made a trillion dollars’ worth of cuts. We can make some more cuts in programs that don’t work, and make government work more efficiently. (Applause.) Not every government program works the way it’s supposed to. And frankly, government can’t solve every problem. If somebody doesn’t want to be helped, government can’t always help them. Parents -- we can put more money into schools, but if your kids don’t want to learn it’s hard to teach them. (Applause.)

But you know what, I’m not going to see us gut the investments that grow our economy to give tax breaks to me or Mr. Romney or folks who don’t need them. So I’m going to reduce the deficit in a balanced way. We’ve already made a trillion dollars’ worth of cuts. We can make another trillion or trillion-two, and what we then do is ask for the wealthy to pay a little bit more. (Applause.) And, by the way, we’ve tried that before -- a guy named Bill Clinton did it.  We created 23 million new jobs, TURNED A DEFICIT INTO A SURPLUS, and rich people did just fine. We created a lot of millionaires.

There are a lot of wealthy, successful Americans who agree with me -- because they want to give something back. They know they didn’t -- look, if you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own. You didn’t get there on your own. I’m always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart. There are a lot of smart people out there. It must be because I worked harder than everybody else. Let me tell you something -- there are a whole bunch of hardworking people out there. (Applause.)

If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn’t get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet.

The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together. There are some things, just like fighting fires, we don't do on our own.  I mean, imagine if everybody had their own fire service.  That would be a hard way to organize fighting fires.

So we say to ourselves, ever since the founding of this country, you know what, there are some things we do better together. That’s how we funded the GI Bill. That’s how we created the middle class. That’s how we built the Golden Gate Bridge or the Hoover Dam. That’s how we invented the Internet. That’s how we sent a man to the moon. We rise or fall together as one nation and as one people, and that’s the reason I’m running for President -- because I still believe in that idea. You’re not on your own, we’re in this together. (Applause.)

---End Quote
= = = =
Great Campaign Speech, Mr. President.  Encouraging -- Uplifting.  Like it's supposed to be.  You The Man!
= = = =

Throughout human history "tribal mentaliy" has thrived. The idea that MY tribe is better than YOUR tribe. In American Indian culture/language each tribe used words to describe themselves as "the people" and all the other tribes were just "the other". Which, of course, then made it so easy to kill "the other".

Throughout history tribal mentality produces discord, hatred, and eventually war.

Hurray for tribes . . . NOT!

And that's what Sarah Says on 07/22/2012