Who Cares - What Matters
There were so many commercials a week ago during the Super Bowl; some of them really funny and most very creatively done with and without AI
Did you have a favorite? I knew immediately, this one from Refin/Rocket Mortgage, was going to be mine.
Yes, as the title suggests: AMERICA NEEDS NEIGHBORS LIKE YOU and the question that keeps bouncing around in my gray matter is: DO THEY REALLY NEED A NEIGHBOR LIKE ME?
In the fall of 1969, Paul Stookey received a request he couldn’t refuse.
His bandmate and close friend Peter Yarrow was getting married to Mary Beth McCarthy. Peter asked Paul if he would write a song to bless the ceremony.
Stookey immediately said yes. But privately, he knew this wouldn’t be his song to write.
A few days before the wedding, Stookey retreated to the small basement studio in his Connecticut home. He tuned his 12-string guitar, sat in silence, and prayed.
“Lord,” he asked, “nothing would bless this wedding ceremony more than Your presence. How would You manifest Yourself?”
Then he picked up a pencil and began to write.
For the next hour, lyrics poured through him. He didn’t feel like he was composing — he felt like he was transcribing. The words spoke of love, commitment, and the sacred presence that emerges when two people join their lives together.
“He is now to be among you at the calling of your hearts…”
When Stookey finished, he had something he had never created before: a prayer disguised as folk music.
On October 18, 1969, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Willmar, Minnesota, Stookey stood before the congregation as best man and sang the song for the first time. It was meant to be a private gift — a blessing for two people he loved.
He assumed it would never be performed again.
But weeks later, at a Peter, Paul and Mary concert, Peter leaned over and made a request. His wife was in the audience. Would Paul sing the song for her?
Paul hesitated. “I couldn’t do that,” he said. “It was just for your wedding.”
Peter asked again.
So Paul stepped to the microphone and sang. The audience went still. Something in that simple melody — earnest, vulnerable, unpolished — touched people in ways Stookey hadn’t anticipated.
He kept singing it. And people kept asking for it.
When Peter, Paul and Mary disbanded in 1970, Stookey recorded the song for his solo debut album. “Wedding Song (There Is Love)” was released as a single in 1971. It reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 3 on the Easy Listening chart.
But here’s what made the story extraordinary.
Stookey refused to claim authorship.
He believed the song had been given to him, not created by him. So he established the Public Domain Foundation to receive every royalty the song would ever generate. He kept nothing.
Over the decades, that foundation has distributed more than two million dollars to charities around the world — soup kitchens, hospitals, children’s programs, and causes Stookey will never meet.
“Wedding Song” has since been performed at countless weddings across America. It has been covered by Petula Clark, Captain & Tennille, Mary MacGregor, and dozens of others. It has become, by some measures, the most requested modern wedding song in the country.
And Paul Stookey has never taken a dime.
When asked about the song years later, Stookey kept it simple.
“Into every songwriter’s life comes a song, the source of which cannot be explained by personal experience.”
He wrote it in an hour. He gave it away forever.
Sometimes the most powerful gifts are the ones we don’t keep.
#ThereIsLove #GiveItAway
~Lovely USA
WAIT. . .WHAT. . . ?
What does this have to do with Friday the 13th or, oh yeah, Valentine’s Day tomorrow. . . ?
Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. . .NOT ONE THING. . .(but an immeasurable MANY THINGS, huh?)
The phrase “do you get my drift?” means “Do you understand the general idea, insinuation, or implication of what I’m saying, even if I haven’t explicitly stated it?”. It’s a way to ask if someone has followed your train of thought or grasped the underlying meaning of your words.
Here’s a little about its origin:
• Early 16th Century: The word “drift” in this context began to be used figuratively to mean the general course, tenor, or intention of speech or writing. This sense of “drift” is recorded as early as 1526.
• Connection to “Drive”: The word “drift” itself has roots in “drive,” which in the 13th century had meanings related to moving something with force or proceeding with a definite intention. This sense of intentional direction informed the meaning of “drift”.
• Later Nautical Influence: While some sources suggest a nautical origin (sailors understanding ocean currents ), this seems to have come later. The idea of a ship “drifting” (moving in a particular direction even if not explicitly steered) later reinforced the idiom’s meaning of understanding an underlying direction or intention.
Without a doubt, these are strange times right now aren’t they?
Maybe we’ve been asking the wrong questions, especially lately. . . .
Maybe it is not so much:
WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?
as it
WHO’S NOT MY NEIGHBOR?
or easier still:
WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?
And I mean, come on . . .
when Lady Gaga poses the question
how could you not answer it
and just as much in a powerful way
as she asks it. . .
but even more so as
Mr. Rogers
has wanted it to be answered. . .
(By. . .FOR. . .Each of US)
PROTECTIVE MONSTERS
The sharp icicles
drolled sharply from the gutter
like angry teeth
waiting for the dark
to shadow them from devouring
all that you unknowingly fear the most
Or maybe to growl back
all you lovingly cherish and protect
the best
Protective Monsters
so that sleeping well
comes as a gift
ripped opened gladly
because of these
Guardians of my past
Preservers of my presence
Shielders of my yet to be’s.
Nature has a way of showing us what we don’t always recognize, sometimes Season by Season. . .
These magnificent STALACTiTES of Ice always reminded me as a kid (and now again) of MONSTER TEETH and to chase my fear away when I’d wake up in the middle of the night and see these ferocious fangs outside of my bedroom window. I’d chase my fearful thoughts away by thinking if they were in fact, MONSTER TEETH, maybe they weren’t hear to chew me up but to eat away anything that would dare approach me or my family. . .
Protective Monsters
so that sleeping well
comes as a gift
ripped opened gladly
because of these
GUARDIANS OF MY PAST
PRESERVERS OF MY PRESENCE
SHIELDERS OF MY YET TO BE’S
I brag all of the time that, “I CAN WALK ON THE WATER. . .BUT ONLY IN JANUARY/FEBRUARY!”
I bet you can brag the same! We all have the capability of being WATER WALKERS with little or no faith and all the doubt you can pack into your already worried mind and imposter syndrome soul. . .BUT
It still require you to bundle up and actually walk OUT and maybe that’s the truest of all of the truest of things: WE ARE ALL SO MUCH MORE CAPABLE OF DOING THE SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE IF WE’RE WILLING TO ATTEMPT THE SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE (with or without the help of Mother Nature and others who are willing to help us achieve something beyond ourselves)
So.
The NEXT STEP is more than just another step. . .especially if you’re willing to TAKE IT. . .
It’s more than the profound question:
DID YOU HEAR WHAT I DIDN’T SAY?
It’s more like:
DO YOU RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU NOTICED. . . ?
In a few hundred blog posts past, I remember posting an actual BLOG VIDEO MONDAY of a famous 2007 experiment, when violin virtuoso Joshua Bell tried his hand at busking in a plaza of the D.C. metro, playing anonymously for nearly an hour on his priceless 1713 Stradivarius violin, a talent for which he is often paid $1,000 a minute. In the end, only seven out of a thousand passersby stopped to listen. He collected $32.17. When he finished playing each piece, there was no response from the passing crowd. But, as Washington Post writer Gene Weingarten noted,
“Every single time a child walked past, he or she tried to stop and watch. And every single time, a parent scooted the kid away.”
Are we seasoned experts of not noticing what we recognize;
of
obviously not seeing what we look at. . . ?
It’s far past being a casual
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm of the Day. . .
READ THE WORDS YOU JUST HEARD:
It’s fun to think of your favorite artists, back when they were just starting out. Playing the sidewalk in total anonymity. It makes you wonder, if they were right there in front of you, would you have noticed? Strange that something so vibrant as art is so nearly invisible. Strange how rarely we stop to savor the details, or hear the music playing in the background that’s far better than it has any right to be. It’s only after someone points it out, that you finally catch the tune. It makes you wonder if there’s brilliance all around you, hiding in plain sight, just waiting around to see if you’ll notice. Who knows how many Kafkas and Van Goghs you might be walking past? Maybe the next J.K. Rowling is living just down the street, maybe she doesn’t even suspect it, any more than we do. We assume that if a piece is any good, surely it’ll find an audience. But maybe it’s mostly luck. Luck that they’re not already famous. or luck that the right person just happened to look up. One never knows how two people find each other, if they ever meet at all. Imagine how much courage it takes, to show up and keep playing anyway, hoping it’ll resonate with someone passing by, though it won’t happen for everybody. To keep pouring your heart into something, even if it falls on deaf ears. Reaching out in the face of indifference, trying to give people permission to care. Indifference is easy. It takes a lot of courage to fight back against it. So maybe we should stop and count ourselves lucky that there’s still someone out there fighting the good fight.
Well. . .
Did you miss anything?
Q U I C K:
Re-wathech the video again
and ask yourself the same question:
DID YOU MISS ANYTHING?
John Koenig’s book:
DICTIONARY OF OBSCURE SORROWS
will invite you to look at things in a new way
B U T
John’s
or any book can’t make you
Recognize what you notice. . .
THAT’S
the secret power only you possess
(if you will not just recognize what you notice
BUT ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT IT)
c o n t i n u o u s l y
It can be hard.
One of my favorite American author’s is Og Mandino. He wrote in his classic book, The Greatest Miracle In The World, which is a short little book that will take your year to read if you actually read it the right way. It inspired me the write in a similar way when I self-published “THE CANDLE MAKER, now some 25 years ago where you read one of the 12 Candle Maker Lessons each month, three times a day, which is the same invitation Og extends in “THE GREATEST SALESMAN IN THE WORLD” Here’s one of his quotes that is pasted in my soul and behind my eyelids when I pause during a rough time: “When all hope is gone, the world will end. If each person lit one tiny candle, we could turn the darkest night into the brightest day.”
I have spent my entire working life attempting to be strong for others. TRUTH: At times I am on fumes. I don’t always get it right. There are moments when fear, ego, and pride get in my way or get the best of me.
B U T. . .
For all of you who are doing your best each and every day, and yet experience moments when you do not live up to the best within you or to your standards – I see you. I hear you.
Just stop. Light a candle. Listen.
You don’t have to start a bonfire; you don’t have to be a raging Inferno. . . just a small little light that’s willing, to not only be shown but shared.
I want you to think about that for a moment. . . who is not a Light in this world? We are focused so much on how our Light gets blown out with a quick puff of anger, of fear, of unsettledness, and the vast sea of the unknown. . .
All the more reason, SEE. BE. FREE that magnificent Light that is in you and now hopefully from you. Is that all that’s necessary? Just this little light of mine that I will let shine? No! It helps but to SEE. BE. FREE that Light means that you’re not only that one single flicker, but actually a part of the flame that needs to be shared again and again and again. . .
The power of Light puts fear in any darkness that dares come in contact with it.
SEE. BE. FREE
that light and know that it’s not just enough, but it’s the most that you can ever give to warm and enlighten this world that right now so desperately in need of–the warmth and Light that you only you can share.
I see you. I hear you. I believe in you. I love you
And. . .I’m always up to sharing a cup of comfort with you
We are all waiting for that one moment, right. . .when all is calm and all is bright. . .
And here’s where we have lied to ourselves; we think well that’s December 24 or December 25 thing; but it could be a January 25 or February 21 or March 5. Hey, maybe even August 6; dates mean nothing here. We don’t live in a HALLMARK Movie world where we are tortured characters that always know, no matter however bad or sad it gets, it will always turn out just right at the end.
We live in snow globe worlds that aren’t bound by calendars or events or holidays and just when we think it’ll soon settle, that gravity will take hold and fasten our feet to some sure footing, it then sometimes gets shaken up again and even in the chaos, it feels very peaceful.
In just a moment, we know these things. . .but in this moment. . .just this moment, what brings you the all is calm all is bright peaceful moment is a really good moment!
Screenshot
S O M E T I M E S
when you see or hear something in a different way
YOU ACTUALLY
S E E
&
H E A R
things in a different way. . .
In the Final Moments of His Life, Calvin Has One Last Talk with Hobbes
12/6/2019
“Calvin? Calvin, sweetheart?”
In the darkness Calvin heard the sound of Susie, his wife of fifty-three years. Calvin struggled to open his eyes. God, he was so tired, and it took so much strength. Slowly, light replaced the darkness, and soon vision followed. At the foot of his bed stood his wife. Calvin wet his dry lips and spoke hoarsely, “Did… did you…. find him?”
“Yes dear,” Susie said smiling sadly, “He was in the attic. “
Susie reached into her big purse and brought out a soft, old, orange tiger doll. Calvin could not help but laugh. It had been so long. Too long.
“l washed him for you,” Susie said, her voice cracking a little as she laid the stuffed tiger next to her husband.
“Thank you, Susie.” Calvin said. A few moments passed as Calvin just laid on his hospital bed, his head turned to the side, staring at the old toy with nostalgia.
“Dear,” Calvin said finally. “Would you mind leaving me alone with Hobbes for a while? I would like to catch up with him.”
“All right,” Susie said. “I’ll get something to eat in the cafeteria. I’ll be back soon.” Susie kissed her husband on the forehead and turned to leave. With sudden but gentle strength Calvin stopped her. Lovingly he pulled his wife in and gave her a passionate kiss on the lips. “l love you,” he said.
“And I love you,” said Susie. Susie turned and left. Calvin saw tears streaming from her face as she went out the door.
Calvin then turned to face his oldest and dearest friend. “Hello Hobbes. It’s been a long time hasn’t it old pal?”
Hobbes was no longer a stuffed doll but the big furry old tiger Calvin had always remembered. “It sure has, Calvin.” said Hobbes. “You… haven’t changed a bit.” Calvin smiled.
“You’ve changed a lot.” Hobbes said sadly.
Calvin laughed, “Really? I haven’t noticed at all.” There was a long pause. The sound of a clock ticking away the seconds rang throughout the sterile hospital room.
“So… you married Susie Derkins.” Hobbes said, finally smiling. “l knew you always liked her.”
“Shut up!” Calvin said, his smile bigger than ever.
“Tell me everything I missed. I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to!” Hobbes said, excited.
And so Calvin told him everything. He told him about how he and Susie fell in love in high school and had married after graduating from college, about his three kids and four grand-kids, how he turned Spaceman Spiff into one of the most popular sci-fi novels of the decade, and so on. After he told Hobbes all this there was another pregnant pause. “You know… I visited you in the attic a bunch of times.” Calvin said.
“l know.”
“But I couldn’t see you. All I saw was a stuffed animal.” Calvin’s voice was breaking and tears of regret started welling up in his eyes.
“You grew up old buddy.” said Hobbes.
“I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry I broke my promise! I promised I wouldn’t grow up and that we’d be together forever!!” Calvin broke down and sobbed, hugging his best friend.
Hobbes stroked Calvin’s hair, or what little was left of it. “But you didn’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“We were always together…. In our dreams.”
“We were?”
“We were.”
“Hobbes?”
“Yeah, old buddy?”
“I’m so glad I got to see you like this… one last time…”
“Me too, Calvin. Me too.”
“Sweetheart?” Susie voice came from outside the door.
“Yes dear?” Calvin replied.
“Can I come in?” Susie asked.
“Just a minute.” Calvin turned to face Hobbes one last time.
“Goodbye Hobbes. Thanks… for everything…”
‘No, thank you Calvin.” Hobbes said.
Calvin turned back to the door and said, “You can come in now.”
Susie came in and said, “Look who’s come to visit you.”
Calvin’s children and grandchildren followed Susie into the room. The youngest grandchild ran past the rest of them and hugged Calvin in a hard, excited hug. “Grandpa!!” screamed the child in delight.
“Francis!” cried Calvin’s daughter, “Be gentle with your grandfather.”
Calvin’s daughter turned to her dad. “I’m sorry, Daddy. Francis never seems to behave these days. He just runs around making a mess and coming up with strange stories.”
Calvin laughed and said, “Well now! That sound just like me when I was his age.”
Calvin and his family chatted some more until a nurse said, “Sorry, but visiting hours are almost up.”
Calvin’s beloved family said goodbye and promised to visit tomorrow. As they turned to leave Calvin said, “Francis. Come here for a second.”
Francis came over to his grandfather’s side, “What is it, Gramps?”
Calvin reached over to the stuffed tiger on his bedside and held him out shakily to his grandson, who looked exactly as he did so many years ago.
“This is Hobbes. He was my best friend when I was your age. I want you to have him.”
‘He’s just a stuffed tiger.” Francis said, eyebrows raised.
Calvin laughed, “Well, let me tell you a secret.”
Francis leaned closer to Calvin. Calvin whispered, “If you catch him in a tiger trap using a tuna sandwich as bait, he will turn into a real tiger.”
Francis gasped in delighted awe. Calvin continued, “Not only that he will be your best friend forever.”
“Wow! Thanks grandpa!” Francis said, hugging his grandpa tightly again.
“Francis! We need to go now!” Calvin’s daughter called.
“Okay!” Francis shouted back.
“Take good care of him.” Calvin said.
“l will.” Francis said before running off after the rest of the family.
Calvin laid on his back and stared at the ceiling. The time to go was close. He could feel it in his soul. Calvin tried to remember a quote he read in a book once. It said something about death being the next great adventure or something like that. His eyelids grew heavy and his breathing slowed. As he went deeper into his final sleep, he heard Hobbes, as if he was right next to him at his bedside. “I’ll take care of him, Calvin…”
Calvin took his first step toward one more adventure and breathed his last with a grin on his face.
Uhhhhhhhh. . .Yeah,
S O M E T I M E S
when you see or hear something in a different way
YOU ACTUALLY
S E E
&
H E A R
things in a different way. . .
s o m e t i m e s