Our Beautiful Nation

The president and vice president want to establish a Space Force. The president has signed legislation for a military budget of more than $700 billion dollars.

The number is staggering. And the motives within it alarming.

There is not a single threat facing us that warrants such a ridiculous idea as a Space Force. What does seriously threaten us is global warming, world poverty, national weather disasters, economic inequality, racial division, the destruction of public education, congressional greed and corruption, a future Stock Market collapse, the arrogant aggression against terrorist groups and the killing of their innocent women and children.

Those are the real threats. Those are the things that may end up destroying us as a nation and maybe even the world.

And yet, pennies are thrown at these problems, and in some instances, nothing at all is being done to address the dire situations created by these threats.

We are not being led by smart people. Money is a useless measure of a person’s ability to lead the nation. Being a billionaire does not automatically make you brilliant. It only means you have a lot of money. How one uses their extraordinary resources—that counts, that establishes real worth.

Our leaders offer the nation nothing in terms of wise and thoughtful considerations regarding the enormous hazards facing us. What we get are incoherent tweets, petty attacks, empty bragging, embarrassing lies, humiliating rhetoric, bullying and angry campaign speeches.

I am not slamming Republicans, or conservatives, or even Trump supporters. I am calling out ignorance, hate, character assassination, war mongering, stupidity, rage, and the unwillingness to see the dangers in our government.

First, we were being laughed at by other nations. Then we were considered insulting and belligerent. Now we are seen as a threat to the world, a superpower pushing its way across the globe and even into space to rule the universe with ruthless force.

Is that how we want America represented?

This is a beautiful nation. Our parkland and forests; our ocean shores and seascapes; our freshwater rivers and the glory of majestic mountain ranges—these define us. Our small-town businesses and rural landscapes; our home cooking cafes and the fruit stands along the highway; swimming in the farm tank and fishing on the bank; chats with a neighbor on the porch and the shared tears of friends in sorrow—these things still exist, these still make us American.

Yes, we have giant cities with their gnarled traffic and the sound of guns in the night. But there are breathtaking museums there and the chatter of sidewalk bistros that offer balance to the congestion. There is thrilling theater and the exhilaration of outdoor concerts; there are quaint art galleries and offbeat coffee shops. There are high rise office buildings populated, not with crooks and shysters, but with people of integrity and professionalism. Yes, there are the cheaters and the users, of course, nearly everywhere, but in the shadow of their crude limelight stand the salt of the earth folks, the hard workers, and the decent souls.

This is what makes America great. Not war schemes and space forces; not drone attacks and the murder of children on foreign soil. Not broken politics and compromised politicians. We are a people who know how to love and how to live with honor. Let that be our example to the world. Let that be the America we choose.

We are Made for Human Connection

There are words from Brandi Carlile’s song, “The Story,” that I might sing, and perhaps you, too. “All of these lines across my face Tell you the story of who I am So many stories of where I've been And how I got to where I am But these stories don't mean anything When you've got no one to tell them to” You don’t have to be single or alone to feel the depth of those words. Someone in a longtime marriage or relationship might feel them, too. The voyage through life takes each one of us through an assortment of experiences. Some of them ennoble us. Some crush us. Some lift us beyond ourselves and carry us into the lives of those who need us. And some carry us to those we need. Some experiences are burdens. Others ease and encourage us. Some leave us baffled and unsure. Some build confidence within us and are so affirming that we grow in substance, in courage, in tenderness, and sympathy. As we age, the lines in our faces can represent the hurts we have not yet resolved. Or t

If I had five minutes to evacuate--what would I take with me?

If I was told there was a bomb in my building and I had five minutes to evacuate my apartment I’d grab a grocery bag and quickly toss these items into it: 1. A photo of my grandparents, Mom and Pop and me, when I was 15 years old. I learned what love is made of from them. I learned what it is to be kissed on and hugged in arms so tender they felt like God’s arms. I discovered self worth from those two angels in human flesh. Of all the people in my life, they were the ones who made me feel I counted. Honestly, whatever capacity I have to love others came from them. 2. A sentimental, dog-eared, stars in the margin copy of Pat Conroy’s, “The Prince of Tides.” It is a book I have read three times and often return to for its wisdom. It is a harsh, profoundly tragic novel, the story of a family so broken and tortured by such flawed and wounded people that it is sometimes difficult to turn the next page. And yet it is the story of such Herculean courage and endurance that you want

Do we need a new country?

Have you seen the elaborate, stylish, opulent television commercial for Cartier? The original commercial seemed to go on forever, a full three minutes. They have shortened it now, but it still drips with ostentatiousness. It is conspicuously pretentious in spite of the beautiful music and the sleek panther and the stunning scenery and the elegant model dressed in a striking red gown. The commercial takes the viewer through an amazing montage of dreamy landscapes and famous cities and spectacular stunts while moving past a giant expensive watch and finally to a glittering diamond bracelet modeled by the woman in red. Each time I see it I keep wondering who the target audience is. It seems to be such an over the top expression of unbridled greed and materialism gone ape. In a time when much of the world is starving and millions are still out of work here at home it seems bizarre that Cartier would spend what has to be millions on a television commercial celebrating 165 years in

The Unclad Soul

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