Be extreme

“Was not Jesus an extremist for love: ‘Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.’ Was not Amos an extremist for justice: ‘Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.’ Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: ‘I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.’ Was not Martin Luther an extremist: ‘Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God.’ And John Bunyan: ‘I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience.’ And Abraham Lincoln: ‘This nation cannot survive half slave and half free.’ And Thomas Jefferson: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’

“So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill three men were crucified.

“We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime - the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists.”

These days our country is in bad shape for many reasons and a pandemic has turned the entire world upside down. We can't keep having business as usual. We need people who are leaders, like Dr King was, . Dr King was an extremist. So many of my friends are too. This is encouraging. There is so much to be done. I invite you to follow their lead!

Let us all unite!

A marvelous scene by Charlie Chaplin from  "The Great Dictator," a 1940 film where he condemns Hitler and the Nazis calling them "machine men, with machine minds and machine hearts," really got me thinking last night.  There is a great remix of this speech from the movie with Chaplin's voice over images from the present, showing how the words spoken then are still true.

I urge you to take a few seconds and watch the video by clicking HERE.  Then take a few more minutes and think about it.  We can do so much.  Our hate and distrust for other countries, other religions, other races, other sexual orientations, other anything needs to end.  We need to put aside hate - ALL hate.

In his speech, part of what Chaplin says is "You the people have the power to make life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of democracy let's use that power, let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give you the future and old age and security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power, but they lie. They do not fulfil their promise, they never will. Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people. Now let us fight to fulfill that promise. Let us fight to free the world, to do away with national barriers, do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness."

What a marvelous goal:  a united world!

Where do we go from here?

Certainly, one of the greatest men to live in my lifetime, was the Reverend Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.  Had he lived, he would have turned 96 last week.  It's difficult to remember sometimes that he accomplished so much in just 39 years of life.  

Today it the civil holiday honoring Dr King, and although many are looking at other events today, I'd like to share these words excerpted from his Where Do We Go From Here? speech, delivered at the 11th Annual Southern Christian Leadership Conference Convention in Atlanta, GA back on August 16, 1967:

"I'm concerned about a better World. I’m concerned about justice; I’m concerned about brotherhood and sisterhood; I’m concerned about truth. And when one is concerned about that, he can never advocate violence. For through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can’t murder murder. Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can’t establish truth. Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can’t murder hate through violence. Darkness cannot put out darkness; only light can do that.

"And I say to you, I have also decided to stick with love, for I know that love is ultimately the only answer to humankind’s problems. And I’m going to talk about it everywhere I go. I know it isn’t popular to talk about it in some circles today. And I’m not talking about emotional bosh when I talk about love; I’m talking about a strong, demanding love. For I have seen too much hate. I say to myself that hate is too great a burden to bear. I have decided to love. If you are seeking the highest good, I think you can find it through love. And the beautiful thing is that we aren’t moving wrong when we do it, because John was right, God is love. He who hates does not know God, but he who loves has the key that unlocks the door to the meaning of ultimate reality.

"And so I say to you today, my friends, that you may be able to speak with the tongues of men and angels; you may have the eloquence of articulate speech; but if you have not love, it means nothing. Yes, you may have the gift of prophecy; you may have the gift of scientific prediction and understand the behavior of molecules; you may break into the storehouse of nature and bring forth many new insights; yes, you may ascend to the heights of academic achievement so that you have all knowledge; and you may boast of your great institutions of learning and the boundless extent of your degrees; but if you have not love, all of these mean absolutely nothing. You may even give your goods to feed the poor; you may bestow great gifts to charity; and you may tower high in philanthropy; but if you have not love, your charity means nothing. You may even give your body to be burned and die the death of a martyr, and your spilt blood may be a symbol of honor for generations yet unborn, and thousands may praise you as one of history’s greatest heroes; but if you have not love, your blood was spilt in vain. What I’m trying to get you to see this morning is that a man may be self-centered in his self-denial and self-righteous in his self-sacrifice. His generosity may feed his ego, and his piety may feed his pride. So without love, benevolence becomes egotism, and martyrdom becomes spiritual pride."

Back on my soapbox

There are a LOT of things I could talk about this week.  So much of it is bad.  As I often say though, WE can make a difference.  Things get better when WE care enough to get involved.  So, this morning, instead of moaning about the bad, let me get up on my soapbox once again and urge us all to do some good.

Tomorrow is the civil holiday honoring Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.  Just looking at this incredible man and all he accomplished in his short time on earth should energize us to get involved and want to do good too.

Tomorrow is also when the White House occupants will change and regardless of who you voted for and how you feel about things, there will be some differences.  Stay informed on the facts from reliable sources and when something doesn't seem good to you, speak up.  At the same time, when you see do, speak up about that too.  All too often we only complain about the bad and seem to ignore the good things in our world.  There is good!

Is it too late to make resolutions?  Of course not.  It's always good to decide on positive changes.  For the past eight years I have coordinated blood drives and each year I have a goal of doing better.  I also write a blog about kindness, not because I am an expert or because I think I am an especially kind person, but to remind me every single day that I can do better.  We all can.

While we may hear a lot of negativity this week, let's turn it around and see the positive.  Now please don't think I'm suggesting we ignore the bad.  Not at all.  We need to all work on positive changes for the good of ourselves and for the whole world.  I think we can do better.  I always think we can do better!

show the world your joy

Do you ever notice how small children always seem to be happy? Why can't the same be true for adults? Yes, every single moment of our life is not necessarily magic, but I think we could have a lot more joy if only we tried a little more!  Even with a pandemic all around us, increased hate crimes, and a slowed down economy, there is still something to be happy about.

Babies and small children are really good at showing off their happiness too. It seems there is something else we could copy from them!  Did you ever see a toddler giggle?  Oh my!

Someone once said that life is not about making others happy. Life is about sharing your happiness with others! Even those little tiny happy moments are worth sharing! Have I had happy moments in the past year?  You betcha!  Show the world your joy, especially when there seems to be so much darkness. You just might be surprised at the results!

an animal post

Animals are a lot smarter than you may think.  Your animals just might be able to look out for you. 

Most of the time though it is YOU who need to be looking out for your animals.  I have written here in the past about animal cruelty and neglect, but I keep seeing horror stories that make me want to keep reminding people. 

There is something we all need to consider when taking an animal into our home.  Are we able to care for it?  Do we have the time, the energy, the space, the money, the desire that is necessary to be guardian for a cat or dog or other animal?  (A very large dog, for example, is not going to have enough space in a tiny apartment).  If the answer is no, then proceeding with bringing an animal into your home is inviting neglect, even if that is not our intention.

I remember the time I saw a dog tied up outside a cafe while his caretaker was inside enjoying a nosh.  Poor little thing was crying and looking oh so sad.  Seems like maybe the dog would have been better off being left at home where at least he would have been in familiar surroundings.

Neglect and abandonment are the most common forms of companion animal abuse here in the United States.  Many studies have found a link between cruelty to animals and other forms of interpersonal violence. 

Think before you bring an animal home.  If you decide you cannot keep an animal you already have, look for a home where the pet will be well cared for or call your local animal shelter.  Do NOT just abandon the animal.  If you see abuse or neglect, report it!  Get involved.  Care.

Picture cooperation

I've told you this particular story about cooperation before, but I really like it, and since cooperation is such a great thing, I thought I'd share this story again.  (It isn't my story, by the way, but I don't know the author).

It's about a man who was taken on a tour of both heaven and hell. In hell he was shown a banquet hall filled with diners seated at a table that was covered with all kinds of delicious food. Each person’s back and left arm were tied to the chair so that bending at the waist was impossible, and the left arm could not move. The right arm was stiffened so that the elbow would not bend. The people at the table could gaze at the delicious spread and they could smell the aroma of the food, but they were starving.

In heaven, the picture was exactly the same – backs and left arms shackled, right arms stiffened – but the diners were feasting and rejoicing, because each diner used his stiffened right arm to feed the person to his or her right. It was a picture of people working together – a picture of cooperation. Working together as a team, we can do so much more!

Think about it.  How wonderful this world would be if we all worked together!

another chance for us to get it right

With this first month of the year nearly half over, how are you coming with those resolutions? Didn't do so well? Hey! There's always next month - or next year! I think it was Oprah Winfrey who said, "Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right." Of course, we can ask "What is right?"

Some of those resolutions that folks make at the beginning of the year, are really so difficult, that we have little chance.  That doesn't mean we shouldn't make resolutions but stop beating yourself up because you only lost five pounds when you said you were going to lose fifty.  Set realistic goals if you like, but be kind to yourself.  Encourage others along the way and quite often they will also encourage you.

Now, I'm not a huge fan of resolutions. Do your best every day of your life. THAT should be a goal everyone can get behind. Things like showing concern for my neighbor and trying to make a difference, are lifelong resolutions for me, and I believe in Oprah's "another chance for us to get it right" idea, but in my case I think of every day like that. Each day of our life we can try to do better and to be better.

So, let me ask you, are there goals that you have? Have you resolved to do any particular things? Share some of those with us!

all smiles

Did you ever notice that a smile isn't just the position of your mouth? When most of us smile, we use our whole face. We smile with our eyes, even if they aren't wide open. When I see someone smile, it makes me happy. How about you?  Do smiles brighten your day?

When I see someone who isn't smiling, I try all the harder. I smile every single day. Why? Because it really is contagious. You'd be amazed at how many smiles will show up as a result of yours!

Oh, one more thing about smiles too.  I will never suggest we be cold and uncaring about someone's bad moments. People you encounter might be going through financial or health difficulties or may have just been touched by the death of a loved one. These days are certainly more difficult than ever before, but there is still reason to smile.  

There are many reasons why someone's smile might disappear, but we can still smile with a loving and caring smile.  Let the world you encompass shine!

One person's trash

Something that one person considers to be worthless just might be considered valuable by someone else.  I think the old saying is that one man's trash is another man's treasure. 

You might also look at it as always seeing something positive, even in something as seemingly worthless as garbage.

I know people who always see the positive.  I try to be like that myself.  I would much rather enjoy the everyday experiences and rejoice in the hidden beauty that is so often missed than to spend unnecessary time and money going for the lavish expensive things that so many covet but which all too often are really overrated.

There is so much good - everywhere.  All we have to do is open our eyes and our minds.  Now, I'm not saying we should wallow in dirt and filth, but we can appreciate the less extravagant.  We can also do something about the filth and make it so that everyone might enjoy it!

Long live the King

Was Elvis Presley an example of what we write about here every day? Some folks might say no. There certainly were controversies in his life, but who among us is perfect? The big question is did he make a difference in our world for the better, and the answer to that most certainly is yes!

Today I'm certain there will be adoring fans remembering the King of Rock and Roll on what would have been his 80th birthday. He died 38 years ago at the young age of 42, but even all these years later, hardly a day goes by when there isn't some reference to Elvis. Just last week when Donna Douglas passed away, we were reminded that she had starred alongside Elvis Presley in Frankie and Johnny. We remember those who were with him and the appearances he made and the news stories about him and of course his huge body of work. There really is a lot to remember too: his numerous television appearances (including live concert footage), his 33 motion pictures, and his hundreds and hundreds of singles.

 

Girls screamed.  Fans raced to buy the new records.  Movies all did well at the box office.  Some of them still do well today.  Oh and how about all of those Elvis impersonators? It is clear to me that this man brought a lot of happiness and left a lasting mark of the world.  He is one of the most significant icons of the 20th century.  Yes, the King of Rock did indeed make a difference.   Long live the King!

Be Your Own Hero

I've talked here before about heroes - a lot.  I've asked on occasion who your heroes are and what you think makes a hero.  Having a hero in your life is a good thing, and there is no limit on how many heroes you have.  You can certainly have more than one hero.  Parents and siblings frequently make the list.

Show me a picture of a hero.  It's hard to do.  They come in all shapes and sizes!  Pull out a mirror.  Do you see a hero?

Something we don't give much thought to though is what we think of ourselves.  How do we view our own contributions?  Have we done good and courageous things?  Each of us cannot just have heroes and be heroes to others, we can also be our OWN hero!  I'm not talking about being puffed up and in love with ourselves.  You can be proud of yourself and still be humble.

Think about it.  Are you proud of things you have done?  Picture that person you consider a hero in your life.  How do they differ from you or do they differ at all?  What does your family think of you?  What do your friends think?  If you don't consider yourself a hero, there still is time - go do something heroic!

Time Won't Let Me

Does anyone remember the song "Time Won't Let Me" recorded by The Outsiders back in 1965?  For some reason that tune was running through my head and it got me thinking about time.  Lately, like many of you, I have had a LOT of extra time.  Without going to restaurants, sporting events, concerts, even our usual workplace, we have changed our whole way of doing things.  You would think we had all become more productive, huh?

"Some day when I have more time."  Have you ever said that?  I know I have.  Of course there was also "someday when I'm older," or "someday when I get married," or even "someday I'll read that book."  Does that "some day" ever come though?  Saying that time won't let me is not a valid excuse at all.  We don't need more time, we need to value and make good use of the time we have!

I remember clearly my mother's last Christmas.  It was a very simple observance because she had just moved.  Almost everything she owned was packed away.  We observed the holiday, but on a much smaller scale than usual.  We said next year will be much bigger and better.  Mom passed away before that next Christmas.  We never had the bigger and better celebration.

I'm not blaming time anymore.  I'm going to be more generous and more present.  I'm going to make every single moment count.  No more wait until next year.  No more some day.  From now on it's this day and this moment.  Celebrate!  Be here!  Join me and let's all make the most out of every single moment we are given.

Happiness is a warm puppy

The wonderful Peanuts cartoonist Charles Shultz said “Happiness is a warm puppy.”  That gives you an immediate image.  You can picture it immediately.  What else is happiness though?  What makes you happy?  What do you do to bring happiness to others?

Obviously, there is not just one answer to my question.  It's going to be a little bit different for each individual.  I really think that being happy is a choice.  We each have the power to bring happiness into our lives and into the lives of others. WE can make it happen!  In fact, Ralph Waldo Emerson makes the same point when he said, “For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”

Being angry or being unhappy can and does happen, even when we are trying to be upbeat and cheerful, but my point is that we can change things.  We can turn a bad day into a good one, just by changing our attitude.

So be happy, and while you're at it, spread some of that happiness around!

Happy New Year!

Here we are beginning a brand-new year. I hope that it is a good one for all of us. I really want to be a better person, and I hope each of us tries to do better. We CAN make a difference!

I know a lot of folks are already planning for the worst, but to me that seems a bit backward. Let us instead plan for and work for the best. Let us be kind and caring and always willing to help wherever needed.

On Sunday, one of this country's most decent citizens died. Former President Jimmy Carter was 100 years old and is being remembered for not only his time in office, but also as a champion of human rights, justice, and peace.  Following his example would be an excellent way to honor his memory and to make a positive difference in the days ahead.

Never give up.  Instead, work to improve your life and the lives of others.  Let us make this an excellent year and keep building on fairness and decency.  May the days ahead be good ones for all of us.  Happy New Year!