Who Cares - What Matters
Oh to see the
S C E N E
in the
U N S E E N. . .
In Just A Moment
makes
ALL OF THE DIFFERENCE
Go ahead. . .
L O O K
L O O K
a g a i n
and see. . .
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com
HAPPY MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR DAY
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. . .
We don’t quite say that the way that we do
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HAPPY NEW YEAR
HAPPY HANUKKAH
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY
HAPPY EASTER
Wait. . .What. . .Huh?
Like most Monday morning blogs this is not a video that I researched or that I sought out, it is one that found me and now haunts me. As I listen to this video from Martin Luther King Jr. about the Good Samaritan, which was a part of his I HAVE BEEN TO THE MOUNTAIN TOP speech, I quickly realized that not only am I not the Good Samaritan, I am not even close to being the not-so-Good-Samaritan.
Quick: if you could describe your life to this point in just one single word what would it be? Seriously, mine might be ENCHANTED. I live a ENCHANTED LIFE; I really do. I am a severely white privileged male that has never really felt what racism is all about; or poverty; or disadvantage; or choice of sexual orientation, or. . . . Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve worked hard for everything that I’ve gotten and I’ve tried to do right by another person, not just by treating them the way that I want to be treated but really trying to go the extra step past the Mountain Top and finding out how they would like to be treated and then actually treating them that way. I have never joined a demonstration. I have never participated in a March. I have never protested. I would like to believe that part of me being a Caring Catalyst and trying to be a better One each day, is trying to convince myself that person by person the world itself changes and that I have an active part in participating in that every single encounter that I have with every single person.
No, I’m not a Good Samaritan. I’m the guy that is too busy to stop because I have business to do; important business, maybe even business that affects peoples lives. No, I’m not a Good Samaritan not because I don’t stop and help, or because I’m sometimes afraid I may to become that victim I too, may be misunderstood or harshly judged. No, but possibly because I have a great way of RATIONALIZING everything away so that I can feel just a little bit better about myself (one-not-that-all-important-act-but-makes-me-look-good-without-trying-all-that-hard. . . .
I don’t do good with vacations or paid time off, so every year I rarely take a week or two weeks off at a time. I’m better at taking days off especially Friday and Mondays. I, on purpose, take my birthday off. I take my wife, Erin’s, Birthday off. I take off good Friday every year usually the Monday after Easter and yes now Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I usually take these days off to spend them with people that I love and people who love me. In particular, I take off Martin Luther King Jr. Day, just like Good Friday, to reflect, to ask myself, ‘why am I not the not-so-Good Samaritan; why am I the one that would go to the other side of the road; why am I the one, that being as privileged as I am, would make myself feel better by literally, just writing a check and mailing it in? Tough questions, but not always elicit the most honest answers. Somehow, just asking the questions helps, eases me as it inspires, challenges me not by attempting to answering the questions with my words or my mouth, but with my actions. Hoping, just hoping, that what I might do for ANOTHER, personally, intentionally, and yes maybe even, intimately, will not only be world changing for them but also mean the universe to me, too.
HAPPY MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY
. . .today. . .tomorrow. . .for-an-ever
let’s not pass each other by
but attend to each’s wounds
and heal as we are healed
no matter what
no matter who
no matter when
no matter how
NOW
to get one step higher than
THE MOUNTAIN TOP
THE GUEST HOUSE
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning has a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks
WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU HOUSE
or maybe the better question. . .
WHAT HOMES YOU. . . ?
This would quantify/qualify has having a NEW YEAR’S DAY
not 17 days ago,
but each and every day, wouldn’t it,
without any of the knee jerk,
gotta’s, outta’s, should’a’s/would’a’s
better do it right away kind of RESOLUTIONS;
N O. . .
If we treated every day as a new year’s day,
a do-over,
a let’s begin again,
start over
opportunity moment,
who would ever need a resolution to do better
when day by day
and all of the moments that compose them,
we just did our best
and open door welcomed
each thing that comes a knocking
as a gift,
a precious present presence
an invitation to be better,
just a little bit better. . .
well now
what a nice how guest that would be
to greet
and you,
oh you dear friend a host;
a hostest with the mostest. . .
with the bestest mostest yet to arrive
but always warm and cozily
a doorbell ring away
Mighty fine house you’ve got there. . .
Come on in.
Sit awhile or a lot.
YOU ARE WELCOME
Holidays come and go, even our most favorite times; when they get all packed away and seems like as if they were not even here, maybe it’s then that we have a choice.
Do we keep the lights? It made them so special keeping them on; do we keep sharing them or have they been turned off, the plug pulled and not always so safely put away?
Sometimes the real season of even the most special seasons happen not when they’re going on, but when they’re needed the most and seem so far away and we get to choose if we’re going bring that season; put that season away, or continue it as it feels much more needed afterwards than even as it went on. . .
In just a moment, we decide and, and everyone either knows or benefits from our decision or not. . .in just a moment. . .
Every season coming and going brings its reality and we decide
even in that reality how strongly we will prevail. . .
SHINE ON
(boxed up or not)
Sometimes a mere 7 minute short film can make you feel more than a 3 hour movie or a 14oo hundred page book
Sometime a mere one small step is the biggest leap your soul can ever experience or
Allow someone else to ever understand. . .Some times
So. . .
If you sprung a leak, what would gush out of you? Most of the time we think it would be all the bad things, all of the things that we wanted and we didn’t get. All of our unmet expectations, our hurts, our losses, our disappointments; but. . . but what if it would really be all those things that we just couldn’t hold back, all of the things we could never get enough of and want more of, all of the things that mean the most to us: All of our joys, every answered prayer, every good thing that just couldn’t be harnessed in all of our love, all of our unconditional kindness.
If you sprung a leak, just what would gush out of you?
Well, not only would we know,
but in a moment,
so what everybody else. . .
In 1988, the great American novelist Kurt Vonnegut wrote a letter to the people of the future. Benedict Cumberbatch read this remarkably precient letter at Letters Live at London’s Royal Albert Hall on 12th December 2024 and on this very first Monday of the brand new year of 2025, somehow if seems, it feels fitting. . .
I’m not so sure we’re ready for something that was written back in 1988 for our future selves and maybe this is exactly what we need to hear or read or maybe not. . .
maybe it’ll cause us to change. . .
or maybe not. . .
I see it’s in the maybe that I worry the most. . .
HAPPY CONTINUING NEW YEAR
(now and in this unfolding future in the next 50 seconds or 50 years)
Sometimes at the end of a year you come in dragging; either being dragged by the collar by it or pulling it up a long hill long a huge duffle bag of badly needed washing clothes; with way: EXHAUSTED
A good friend, Jenny Hegland, Executive Director of The Good Listener Project sent me this poem by John O’Donohue after a recent conversation we had our our busy, sometimes exhausting lives; both of which neither of us really want to have cured, but these words serve as a healing
balm,. . .now hopefully for you as all those who are coming into a new year not all that fresh, but excited for the marathon ahead, which doesn’t begin with a sprint, but will go much more smoothly the easier we go. . .
There’s a race before us to be run. . .not swiftly. . .just surely. . .together. . .
HAPPY RENEWING NEW YEAR
. . .And JUST LIKE THAT
it’s 2024
A NEW YEAR
Whether a new year fills you with excitement or dread (or maybe a mix of both!), the hope is that when you look back on 2023
there are too many wonderful moments to count
which serve has the greatest foundation
for new memories to be
m a d e. . .
ALL WAYS Remembering that
which are gentle reminders
between old and new years of
Letting us each know in between all of the Seasons
Past
Present
Prospective
“May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
And may you stay forever young
May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
And may you stay forever young.”
And may you stay forever young.”
Photo in New York, by John Cohen (1962)
Here’s hoping
the New Year exceeds your expectations
and a tad past your
i M a G i N a T i O n
Seriously what gives you that Christmas morning feeling?
Is it music is a family friends is it presence?
Is it all the food? Is it kind of anti-climatic by the time we get to THIS Christmas morning and all of the feelings have come along with it?
You know, there’s an answer to all of those questions. . .
Three simple letters
Y O UWhat say
Y O U
May all of the Lights of this Day
be yours
to see
to be
to free
in you
for others
always for Others
so that all may know
That Christmas Morning Feeling
