Hot Stuff!

As I write this, many on the West Coast of the U.S. are experiencing extreme heat.  And it's not a so-called "dry heat" either...it's accompanied by a monsoon flow, don't ya know.  

Think hot and sticky.

I'm reminded, though, that it could be worse.  Even as we are baking in the heat and in the midst of a serious drought, it could be much worse.  For many in this world there is no shelter available.  For many in this world there is no choice but to be subjected to the horrors of diseases like Ebola and malaria.  Many have no clean water to drink, no food to eat, no clothes to wear, no roof over their heads.  And many of these are right here in our own back yard.

Which, in this heat, makes me wonder why anyone would worry about a place called hell while failing to see that it could all be avoided if we could just figure out how to share.  You see, every nickel in the bank of a wealthy person in the developed world (and that's most of us, frankly) is a nickel that could be used to alleviate the suffering of others.  Every vote to maintain the status quo, no matter how comfortable it may be for us, is a vote to starve the life out of someone in need.  That's the bottom line in a world of limited resources.  If some have, others do not.

Change is in order...the change in our pockets, and a change in perspective too.  It may not be popular with those of us who have grown quite comfortable in our air-conditioned homes with pretty green lawns, but who ever said doing the right thing was about being comfortable?  

Now I know that many who read this are generous folks, and to you I say "thank you."  And many who will see this don't have a lot of spare change rattling around.  To you I say, "God bless you."  As for the rest of us, maybe it's time to consider a little redistribution of our thinking, and of our love.

Be generous.  It's good for you, too.

So glad if you enjoy reading...please feel free to share.  Subscribe and check out previous posts at www.realacorns.blogspot.com.  

And be sure to drink plenty of water!  It's hot out there!

(c) 2014, Stephen Fiechter

 

What are You Building?

How could anyone be naive when it comes to human behavior?  People are capable of doing some pretty rotten things, and we all know it.  Just read the papers, check the internet, watch TV.  For that matter, think about your own life.  You've been the victim of insensitivity more than a few times, right? 

You've been on the giving end of insensitivity, too.  C'mon now, you can admit it.  Haven't you?  Haven't we all?

Today I was reminded of something I learned a long time ago--that putting a positive spin on people's intentions (that is, assuming they mean us well) is a good practice for more than just one good reason.  First, it sets me free from negative thinking.  My day gets so much better when I assume the best rather than expect the worst.  Second, it sets others free, too.  Haven't you noticed that people generally tend to live up to your expectations?  So why, then, would you want to set the bar so low?

Does that mean you won't ever be disappointed?  No.  Does it mean that others always want what's best for you?  No.  But isn't it better to experience a momentary disappointment in an otherwise good day, than to live in constant dread of what someone else might do so that you're never disappointed again?

All of which makes me wonder.  When I walk around bracing myself against things that may or may not ever even happen, when I set a low bar for the behavior of others and assume their insensitivies are aimed directly at me, am I not walling myself off from a better life, as well as depriving others of the opportunity to improve?

So the next time someone cuts me off in traffic or throws some trash on my lawn...the next time someone disregards my feelings or says something nasty to me, even if I know better, I'll assume they meant me no harm and I will wish them well.  Maybe if I assume the good, it will one day become reality.

Likewise I'll hope that the next time I'm careless in word or deed, that those who are the victims of my insensitivity will give me the same benefit of the doubt.  

It's the least I can do.  How about you?

"Put the best construction on everything..."

Wishing you all constructive week!  If you enjoy reading these, please feel free to share them with others!  You'll find this post, as well as past blog posts at www.realacorns.blogspot.com.

(c) 2014, Stephen Fiechter

Just Listen to those Hypocrites!

More and more we live in fear that the places we once thought were safe--our churches, our schools, our movie theaters, our homes--are not safe anymore.  So not too long ago I re-tweeted a video of a string of celebrities calling on the public to take some kind of action and make a positive change in society in order to curtail the escalating gun violence that has invaded every corner of our lives.  Now, whether or not you agree with the assertion that it's too easy to purchase and carry around weapons that can wipe out a classroom of kindergarteners faster than you can say "See Dick and Jane run!", you can't blame folks who have a platform (for whatever reason) for using it to express their opinions.

But apparently you can.  Someone commented on how the celebrities in that video were all hypocrites, which I presume means that we don't need to bother listening to anything they have to say.  Now that got me thinking: if I don't have to take seriously the opinions of anyone I judge to be hypocritical, that narrows the field!  I don't have to listen to anyone in my family, because over the years I've seen them do things that contradict what they say they believe.  I don't have to listen to any of my co-workers or bosses at work, because they don't always follow through on their stated goals.  Politicians?  Forget it!  And I sure don't have to listen to anyone at church, because heaven knows there's a lot more preachin' than there is practicin' going on there!

Then again, if I only ever listen to people who never do things that contradict what they say, I'd never listen to anyone--not even myself.  As it turns out, saying one thing and doing another is a universal practice.  You might even say it comes with being human.

So maybe what we're really doing, when we turn down those voices we judge to be hypocritical, is creating an excuse not to listen.  And maybe it would be better to simply own up to our own fear of facing the challenges of this world together, which at times seem insurmountable, rather than refusing to become a part of the solution and blaming others for our own choices.

See, just because someone is a hypocrite doesn't mean they don't have anything important to say.

"....remove the log from your own eye..."

Persevering

They were everywhere we looked--growing on the side of the road, along driveways, in front yards: blackberries, plump and juicy and ripe for the picking.  If only our trip (and the Washington summer) could last a little longer!  But despite all best efforts, as suddenly as those berries seemed to pop up out of nowhere they would soon be gone--gobbled up by greedy tourists and hungry birds and maybe even a local or two.

Not to worry, though!  Some sugar and some heat and there would be jam on toast for the winter months: a sweet reminder--summer preserved.

I'm pretty sure he didn't even realize his error, the reader on Sunday morning relaying an ancient message first written for a people long gone: persevere.  But rather than using that word, a reminder to stick with hope despite the shifting ground beneath our feet, instead we heard "preserve."

Now that may sound pretty sweet to those who wish summer could just go on forever, those who go kicking and screaming into the inevitable future, doing everything possible to preserve the past.  The thing is, preserves may be delicious, but they're not fresh berries, and even preserves don't last forever.  As swiftly as the summer flies, so too the winter.

Which leaves me thinking the ancient preacher had it right after all--rather than trying to hold on to the past that will slip through our fingers no matter how tightly we grasp--perhaps it would be best for us to simply let go, and stick with hope instead.

"...persevere in prayer."

Thanks for reading!  Have a sweet Labor Day weekend--and feel free to share these messages with family and friends.  Read past posts or subscribe to new ones at www.realacorns.blogspot.com.

(c) Stephen Fiechter, 2014.  All rights reserved.

          

Ups and Downs....

It's been said that life has its ups and downs, though most of us really don't need to say it. 

So it was for the mountain climber in Yosemite who recently climbed to the top of Cathedral Peak with his girlfriend where he proposed to her that they spend the rest of their lives together.  She accepted.  In a quick phone call home he reported it as "the best day of my life."

He fell to his death that same afternoon.

What can we make of a story like this?  How is it possible to reach a mountain top--to be able to say "this is the best day of my life," and then in an instant, crash to the bottom?  What kind of a world affords this horrible juxtaposition?

Well, THIS kind of world...that's what kind.  Our lives are filled with highs and lows and in-betweens.  Each of us has stories to tell of mountain-top highs and ocean-bottom lows.  Some don't live to tell their stories.  But something tells me that whether on the mountain top, in the valley below, or somewhere in-between, we're not alone...

Which may just make it all---every high, every low, every in-between---worthwhile.

Whether high or low or in-between, you are not alone!  

"If I make my bed in Hades, you are there."

Thanks for reading!  If you enjoy reading these, please feel free to share them with others...encourage them to subscribe at www.realacorns.blogspot.com.  Thanks!

Gimme a Break!

It's been said that in a single day in 2014 we receive as much new information to process as a person in the Middle Ages would have received in her entire lifetime.  Can you even wrap your brain around that?  Is it any wonder that we so often feel so worn out?  We live in a world of information overload; our brains are being asked to process an enormous amount of data.

No wonder I can't find my car keys!

We all need a break from the barrage of information.  Regular sleep is a good place to begin.  It's also a good idea to disconnect once in a while:  I promise the world will not stop spinning if you don't know the latest headlines, haven't read your email, and don't know what's on sale at Target.

But your brain will thank you for the break--something even the ancients understood when they received with joy that weekly gift that continues to be honored across the traditions.  Many still call it the sabbath.  

It seems that someone knows us better than we know ourselves, and is telling us to unplug and rest.

Remember the Sabbath, and keep it.  (Wholly!)  

Goin' My Way?

Lately I've been a bit more attentive to the notion that life is a journey...and by that I don't mean a trip with a planned destination, but more of an adventure in which each new day offers up surprises, challenges, joys, sorrows, and everything in-between.

I've also noticed how intent I often am in trying to convince myself that other people are on the same journey as I am, and so spend inordinate amounts of time comparing myself to them.  Somehow being in the same place at the same time leads me to believe that we're all heading in the same direction.

Ah, but it's not so.  A more honest way of understanding our lives might be found in the realization that we are not all heading in the same direction, and while we may find ourselves walking alongside others--even for long periods of time--each of our lives is a unique and wonderful adventure.  Comparing ourselves may just serve to diminish us all.

How grateful I am for those who accompany me in this life, even if only for a short time!  And how wonderful to know that this is my adventure, and you have one too--and though our stories may be unique, we are no less or no more for being different.

Wishing you peace for your journey!  Thanks for reading, thanks for sharing--Steve Fiechter

"We're all just walking each other home."  Ram Dass