tis the season

I have tomatoes coming out of my ears!  And peppers!  And grapes!

I am so appreciative of the bounty of my garden, and my daughter's grape vines.  I love that the goodness of these things can be preserved and enjoyed months from now.  But it is overwhelming!  I have jars and lids and pots and tomatoes everywhere, all demanding attention right now!  Did I mention the parsley and basil that need to be made into pesto? 

I always complain that it is too much work and too much pressure all at once, but I really like it.  Mess and commotion and bounty.  Thank you, mother earth, for all the goodness.

savages

It scares me that the collective "we" are acting more like savages than rational humans.  Rudeness abounds everywhere, from road rage, to politicians who lie about almost everything, to reality shows that reward cheating and scheming.  People are carrying hand guns everywhere claiming their need to defend themselves.  Murder and sexual crimes are glorified in multitudes of TV shows.  Bullying and fighting are pervasive.  And on and on and on.

Where are we headed?  What does all this look like to our nation's children?  I am alarmed and saddened that our world is becoming more unsafe every day.

As I read my words, I sound like an alarmist, and a pessimist.  But am I?  My 9 year old granddaughter stayed with me a few nights, and she came out of her room crying, worried about someone coming in the window to hurt her.  She has experienced nothing in her life to cause her to be afraid of such a thing.  It seems that all of us are becoming more afraid, perhaps of some unknown, unnamed boogie man. 

Where are we headed?  And how can we stop the fallout of living in such an unsettled world?   

such a little thing

A teen I know had a birthday on Sunday.  I gave her a "serious" card and a little gift.  Then I dropped a "funny" card into the mail.  She sent a short test to say thank you, but later sent another text, saying that it was the most she had received on her 18th birthday.  My humble little gift was of little monetary value.  But I remembered her, and took notice of her special day.

This teen is like so many others who are short of cash and life skills and are lacking the family and community supports which will help them as they stumble around life as an adult.

A small gesture, even a silly birthday card, can make a big impact on older teens who are struggling with the many challenges facing them.  I encourage anyone reading this to look for an opportunity to take notice of a kid who needs a boost, a smile, a dollar, a ride, a meal, a pat on the back or a crumb of positive attention.  We all gain when our young people do well.   

I hope that  

missing teddy

Tears fell from eyes while I watched the remembrance video about Ted Kennedy during the Democratic Convention this past week.  I miss him more than I knew.

What a fighter. What an orator.  What a consistent voice for the powerless and voiceless. 

With all the political snarking and distortions we are subjected to every day, it is tempting to tune it all out.  Yet this is exactly the time to be more aware.  It is our own best interest we need to watch out for. 

Teddy knew how to make a deal with those who opposed him without selling out or giving up on the ideals of what is fair and just.  Teddy is a good example of seeing the difference between a statesman and a mere politician.

kudos to kluwe

Courage and inspiration appear in surprising places.  I tip my hat to pro football's Chris Kluwe as he takes a public stand against oppression.

Oh, that others, whose societal status creates opportunity for their views to influence others, would raise their voices to rally against discrimination and wrongdoing.  Not only celebrities, but other community leaders as well - ministers, mayors, business moguls, doctors, police officers scout leaders and others - who are in a position to call out those who actively work to suppress anyone's civil rights. 

 Thank you, Chris Kluwe, for speaking out in opposition to bias.