The other day a good friend from my past died. It was sad and seemed such a waste because he was 64 years old and hadn't had the chance to enjoy any retirement years. It seemed that he had worked all his life just to reach the pinnacle and then died. This week I learned that my great grand niece Abigal died at the tender age of 7 months. She never had the chance to really learn about life. She was still struggling to learn about her body and the immediate world around her. She went to bed slightly sick and never woke up.
Life can seem so short, no matter how long we have. Who is worse off - the person who lives years and years only to die young or the child who never has a chance to enjoy any of the pleasures of life?
It is all a matter of perspective. No matter how long you live, there is always something you will miss. It's all about living each moment and loving every moment you live. Abigal was surrounded by love and attention for those few short months and enjoyed each sensation as she discovered it. She never knew the heartbreak or pain of losing loved ones. She never knew the joys of accomplishment. She did know love. Whenever our time comes, it is never convenient – it is just a natural part of life and if we haven't enjoyed every golden moment, it is our own foolish fault.
Are you ready?
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Thursday July 20, 2006 Past friends
Life passes by so quickly.
You get very few second chances to correct the mistakes and right the wrongs you left in your past. Childhood, while seeming endless at the time, is just a fleeting wisp of a memory later in life. Your days of schooling, while seeming to be grueling at the time, seem in retrospect to be wonderful carefree days of youth and friendship and exploration. And life races on. Those friends you left in your past linger in your memory and you wish you had had the courage to express how they touched your life and how they are still vibrant and alive in your thoughts. Loved ones you slighted and friends you argued with over some petty insignificant forgotten subject have faded from your life and you regret having lost those you once held so dear.
Life can end at any time, without warning, and you'll never have the chance to apologize for your mistakes or to correct any wrongs you performed.
A dear friend from my college days died earlier this month.
I hadn't seen him in many years and had lost touch with how his life progressed. I regret that I didn't take the few moments necessary to communicate with him and to let him know that he still dwelt in my thoughts as a wonderful young friend from long ago. I have been remiss in communicating with many people who have helped shape my life and helped make me the man I am today. I would tell them all how much they mattered to me and how memories of them and the times we shared still bring me much joy.
So, if any of my friends from the past happen to read this, please know that I am talking directly to you when I say that your friendship is still carried in my heart and I fondly remember the times we shared.
You get very few second chances to correct the mistakes and right the wrongs you left in your past. Childhood, while seeming endless at the time, is just a fleeting wisp of a memory later in life. Your days of schooling, while seeming to be grueling at the time, seem in retrospect to be wonderful carefree days of youth and friendship and exploration. And life races on. Those friends you left in your past linger in your memory and you wish you had had the courage to express how they touched your life and how they are still vibrant and alive in your thoughts. Loved ones you slighted and friends you argued with over some petty insignificant forgotten subject have faded from your life and you regret having lost those you once held so dear.
Life can end at any time, without warning, and you'll never have the chance to apologize for your mistakes or to correct any wrongs you performed.
A dear friend from my college days died earlier this month.
I hadn't seen him in many years and had lost touch with how his life progressed. I regret that I didn't take the few moments necessary to communicate with him and to let him know that he still dwelt in my thoughts as a wonderful young friend from long ago. I have been remiss in communicating with many people who have helped shape my life and helped make me the man I am today. I would tell them all how much they mattered to me and how memories of them and the times we shared still bring me much joy.
So, if any of my friends from the past happen to read this, please know that I am talking directly to you when I say that your friendship is still carried in my heart and I fondly remember the times we shared.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Friday July 14, 2006 Shared thoughts
The following statements made so much sense, I had to share them with you.
Excerpts of an article written by Congressman Ron Paul
WHY ARE AMERICANS SO ANGRY?
“It seems bizarre that it's so unthinkable to change course if the current policy is failing. Our leaders are like a physician who makes a wrong diagnosis and prescribes the wrong medicine, but because of his ego can't tell the patient he made a mistake. Instead he hopes the patient will get better on his own. But instead of improving, the patient gets worse from the medication wrongly prescribed. This would be abhorrent behavior in medicine, but tragically it is commonplace in politics.
If the truth is admitted, it would appear that the lives lost and the money spent have been in vain. Instead, more casualties must be sustained to prove a false premise. What a tragedy! If the truth is admitted, imagine the anger of all the families that already have suffered such a burden. That burden is softened when the families and the wounded are told their great sacrifice was worthy, and required to preserve our freedoms and our Constitution.
But no one is allowed to ask the obvious. How have the 2,500 plus deaths, and the 18,500 wounded, made us more free? What in the world does Iraq have to do with protecting our civil liberties here at home? What national security threat prompted America's first pre-emptive war? ...
These questions aren't permitted. They are not politically correct. I agree that the truth hurts, and these questions are terribly hurtful to the families that have suffered so much. What a horrible thought it would be to find out the cause for which we fight is not quite so noble.
I don't believe those who hide from the truth and refuse to face the reality of the war do so deliberately. The pain is too great. Deep down, psychologically, many are incapable of admitting such a costly and emotionally damaging error. They instead become even greater and more determined supporters of the failed policy.
....
They refuse to accept that the real reason for our invasion and occupation of Iraq was not related to terrorism.
They deny that our military is weaker as a consequence of this war.
They won't admit that our invasion has served the interests of Osama Bin Laden. They continue to blame our image problems around the world on a few bad apples.
They won't admit that our invasion has served the interests of Iran's radical regime.
The cost in lives lost and dollars spent is glossed over, and the deficit spirals up without concern.
They ridicule those who point out that our relationships with our allies have been significantly damaged.
We have provided a tremendous incentive for Russia and China, and others like Iran, to organize through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. They entertain future challenges to our plans to dominate South East Asia, the Middle East, and all its oil.
Radicalizing the Middle East will in the long term jeopardize Israel's security, and increase the odds of this war spreading.
War supporters cannot see that for every Iraqi killed, another family turns on us-- regardless of who did the killing. We are and will continue to be blamed for every wrong done in Iraq: all deaths, illness, water problems, food shortages, and electricity outages.
As long as our political leaders persist in these denials, the war won't end. The problem is that this is the source of the anger, because the American people are not in denial and want a change in policy....”
Excerpts of an article written by Congressman Ron Paul
WHY ARE AMERICANS SO ANGRY?
“It seems bizarre that it's so unthinkable to change course if the current policy is failing. Our leaders are like a physician who makes a wrong diagnosis and prescribes the wrong medicine, but because of his ego can't tell the patient he made a mistake. Instead he hopes the patient will get better on his own. But instead of improving, the patient gets worse from the medication wrongly prescribed. This would be abhorrent behavior in medicine, but tragically it is commonplace in politics.
If the truth is admitted, it would appear that the lives lost and the money spent have been in vain. Instead, more casualties must be sustained to prove a false premise. What a tragedy! If the truth is admitted, imagine the anger of all the families that already have suffered such a burden. That burden is softened when the families and the wounded are told their great sacrifice was worthy, and required to preserve our freedoms and our Constitution.
But no one is allowed to ask the obvious. How have the 2,500 plus deaths, and the 18,500 wounded, made us more free? What in the world does Iraq have to do with protecting our civil liberties here at home? What national security threat prompted America's first pre-emptive war? ...
These questions aren't permitted. They are not politically correct. I agree that the truth hurts, and these questions are terribly hurtful to the families that have suffered so much. What a horrible thought it would be to find out the cause for which we fight is not quite so noble.
I don't believe those who hide from the truth and refuse to face the reality of the war do so deliberately. The pain is too great. Deep down, psychologically, many are incapable of admitting such a costly and emotionally damaging error. They instead become even greater and more determined supporters of the failed policy.
....
They refuse to accept that the real reason for our invasion and occupation of Iraq was not related to terrorism.
They deny that our military is weaker as a consequence of this war.
They won't admit that our invasion has served the interests of Osama Bin Laden. They continue to blame our image problems around the world on a few bad apples.
They won't admit that our invasion has served the interests of Iran's radical regime.
The cost in lives lost and dollars spent is glossed over, and the deficit spirals up without concern.
They ridicule those who point out that our relationships with our allies have been significantly damaged.
We have provided a tremendous incentive for Russia and China, and others like Iran, to organize through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. They entertain future challenges to our plans to dominate South East Asia, the Middle East, and all its oil.
Radicalizing the Middle East will in the long term jeopardize Israel's security, and increase the odds of this war spreading.
War supporters cannot see that for every Iraqi killed, another family turns on us-- regardless of who did the killing. We are and will continue to be blamed for every wrong done in Iraq: all deaths, illness, water problems, food shortages, and electricity outages.
As long as our political leaders persist in these denials, the war won't end. The problem is that this is the source of the anger, because the American people are not in denial and want a change in policy....”
Monday, July 10, 2006
Monday July 10, 2006 It's been a while.
It's been a while.
Please excuse me – I had my daughter and my 7 year old grandson visiting with me for the last 3 weeks. I'm worn out.
Don't let anyone tell you that 7 year olds aren't full of energy and questions. Their bodies and their minds run at full tilt from early morning until late night. They are filled with wonder and their minds are like sponges absorbing every detail of the world around them. They seem to run everywhere and never stop. They are just amazing. My daughter helped me clean out some rooms and kept me working or going places most every day. She was a great help and we had a nice visit.
Now I can finally slow down and stop watching cartoons.
Please excuse me – I had my daughter and my 7 year old grandson visiting with me for the last 3 weeks. I'm worn out.
Don't let anyone tell you that 7 year olds aren't full of energy and questions. Their bodies and their minds run at full tilt from early morning until late night. They are filled with wonder and their minds are like sponges absorbing every detail of the world around them. They seem to run everywhere and never stop. They are just amazing. My daughter helped me clean out some rooms and kept me working or going places most every day. She was a great help and we had a nice visit.
Now I can finally slow down and stop watching cartoons.
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