Memorial Day 2010: Freedom For Some

Happy Memorial Day.


In loving memory of all vets--including the brave

and honorable men and women who

served--and serve-- in silence, were removed in shame,

were denied care by the V.A. sworn to protect them,

and died in secret....

all because this world values a lie.


And we still argue on about who is 'worthy' to give their

life so that we may argue about who is worthy.


I miss my soldier...

I pray for strength.


Peace,

Robert

*********
Hope
by Sri Chinmoy



Hope
Is kind.
Therefore
I mix with hope.
Hope
Is swift.
Therefore
I run with hope,
Hope
Is brave.
Therefore
I collect boundless strength


From hope.
Hope
Is sincere.
Therefore
I invite hope
To accompany me
To the Golden Shore.

May 30

"THE TRUTH WITH MOST OF US
IS THAT WE WOULD RATHER
BE RUINED BY PRAISE
THAN SAVED BY CRITICISM."
-Norman Vincent Peale


Today, I'm thinking about the role of friends in our lives.


Everyone comes to friendships with different needs,
desires, expectations, or ideas of what a friend is...or isn't.
There are different types and levels of friendship;
sometimes two people in the same friendship have different
ideas of how deep the love is. That's just the nature of things.


But, I ask who else besides a true friend can speak bluntly
when need be?


To me, the role of a friend is adviser, confidant, cheerleader,
and occasionally... balloon buster. We all have our blind spots
about certain character defects or habits that no one but a friend
would be courageous--or compassionate enough--to reveal.


The information could be as innocuous as us having spinach in
our teeth or having an unzipped fly. (Good looking out!)
It could be the ugly truth that we have a drinking problem,
or we have bad personal hygiene.


No one wants to be the messenger;the one to bring potential
shame or hurt to a friend...not if their heart and motives are correct.


But if not a friend, then who? Should we watch as a loved one spirals
out of control or suffers consequences. Can we convince ourselves
something is 'obvious,' and wait for a change to occur naturally?
Isn't it possible that's why we're in that person's life?
To help them see something they have overlooked/can't see?
If our friend were drowning, would we stand on the sidelines and say
"Surely they see that there's a better way to prevent that?"


Of course, tact and timing are crucial elements to imparting
our concerns; too often I have waited until a fight to lash out
with my understandings. Bad idea.


But OH! how I wish people had come to me and told me of some
things that would have benefited me...instead of talking to others
or stewing! Who knows how much pain could have been avoided?


Do I have the courage to seek a friend's ear today with a matter
that's been weighing on my mind? Am I open to hearing the loving
concern of another when they step up to the plate to speak with love?


Have a great day...
Love, Rob

May 27

Good Morning, everyone!

What a blessing that I know so many
beautiful friends and family!

Today, I am grateful....
recognizing that nothing at all is promised to me....
not even life.

I am grateful for my breath,
my mobility,
my mind,
second chances....(and 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th ones too!)

I am grateful for the chance to know people,
and--rarest of rares--the chance to appreciate
sharing space with a select few along this journey.

I'm grateful for enough to eat, shelter, comfort,
companionship, a vehicle, creativity, and eyesight.

I'm even thankful for 'obstacles' and 'ordeals,' which
have provided the gift of growth and insight...a sorely
needed gift in my life.

Thanks to all of you for being the uniquely perfect
individual you are, too; showing me part of the tapestry
and getting me outside my own limited ideas of things.

It's my hope that we all have the most amazing day possible;
choosing to see possibility and opportunity everywhere.

It all starts within; what do you expect to happen today?

"Let me be open to everything;
Let me hold on to nothing."

Much love, Robert

May 26, 2010

Good morning all.

Today..."What's my part?"

Sometimes, I forget how far my personal
responsibility extends.

*I get mad at others for not being as supportive
as I feel they 'ought' to be, but I don't express
my upset, nor do I ask for what I want directly.

*I assume I know what is best for someone, and
take it as truth; instead, it is my responsibility
to assume nothing, and to see that my judgments--
about others' actions or timing--don't help.

*My job is to know myself, and when I am
consumed by another or obsessed over details,
I am avoiding my responsibility to know how I
work and do my best job of handling my business.

*Instead of focusing on disappointment in how things
aren't...fantasizing, fretting, faulting, resenting....
why not work on accepting things as they are? Their
truth. Reality. Being at peace with whatever exists.
That's a healthier and more realistic approach.

*I have to be constantly reminding myself
that I am in charge of nothing; that control, comfort,
security, consistency, and dependability upon things or
people are an illusion....a beautiful lie. Only when I stop
resisting the way things are can I find peace.

*Things happen, and only I can apply a significance
or an emotion to them. I can choose to be happy
by not making anything personal. "Rejection" becomes
'someone else having the freedom to choose not to
spend time with me' when I let go of making things
personal. 'Hurt feelings' are a choice I make every time I
read something into reality that isn't there. What other
people do--or don't do--is none of my business.

Working on it.

Blessed hope for a serenity filled day for everyone.

Much love, Robert