I am sitting at my computer. Rain is falling outside and the air is hot enough to grow orchids. My air conditioner is a remedy for the outside oven air and my roof sees to it that I am dry. I am surrounded by beautiful music thanks to a combination of technological magic and God given talent bestowed on the musicians. I am content - this moment.

Is my life perfect? No.

Will it ever be perfect? No.

Is my future certain? No.

Do these things sometimes bother me? Yes.

Still, in this moment, I am content. 

Our present is a chain of moments.

I could lament the good moments will not last.

I can have hope and faith the bad moments will not last.

I can ignore this moment and worry about past moments.

I can fear approaching moments.

It is a choice I make. . . each moment.

Do you remember “The Incredible Hulk” television series? It aired on CBS from 1978 to 1982. One episode contained the parable below and it has stayed with me all these years:

A Parable 

Buddha told a parable in a sutra: 

A man traveling across a field encountered a tiger. He fled, the tiger after him. Coming to a precipice, he caught hold of the root of a wild vine and swung himself down over the edge. The tiger sniffed at him from above.

Trembling, the man looked down to where, far below, another tiger was waiting to eat him. The vine sustained him. 

Two mice, one white and one black, little by little started to gnaw away the vine. The man saw a luscious strawberry near him. Grasping the vine with one hand, he plucked the strawberry with the other. How sweet it

tasted!

Often when I talk to people about the power of their choice, they defend their anxiety. “I can’t help it - my troubles are real. . .

I suppose they are real, but only for a moment.

Of course, life requires balance. We must prepare for the future. We may need to correct past wrongs, and we must learn the discipline of knowing when to be completely present in this moment.

What if you were in a theater and you wondered if you locked your car. You could leave the theater to check the car. You could fret throughout the show and instead of enjoyment you would experience stress, or you could be in the moment.

It will only feel good for a little while. It will only hurt for a little while. We are here and then we are gone. Live your life in such a way you will have no regrets. You can run out of money, but you cannot run out of expressing love. It only takes a moment.

Time and circumstance move us on and down that river we call life. Few travel with us the entire journey. Yet many leave impressions, which affect our course. Those with whom we have traveled teach us things. They show us different ways to view life, people, and God. They are tributaries to us and we serve as tributary to them. Together we make up the larger river of humanity. We are all going somewhere. We are all flowing to the delta that is life’s end.

What a ride it is. Throughout our lives we will know waters both treacherous and placid. We will experience the thrill of the rapids and the boredom of the doldrums. Upon the water we will see the reflection of breath taking sunrises and sunsets. On the river bank we will see changing landscapes and images we will treasure and store among our most special memories. The lucky ones will realize that all of this is a gift. Whether the sailing is smooth or the seas are rough - it is all a precious gift.

From the headwaters of this river we begin and at every confluence we blend with it. Those with whom we have traveled have melted into us and nourished our souls just as the nutrients we ingest become our bodies. We are a product of many. Our thoughts, our words, our actions are an assimilation of many thoughts and words and actions.

The wise will understand then that those with whom we travel will some day be a part of us and we them. Choose how you influence your fellow travelers wisely. Spread love, kindness, respect, good cheer, and honor instead of hatred, anger, and strife. Recognize the good in others and be patient with their shortcomings.

Someday our voyage will end. One cannot travel upstream to redo the past. So while you are able, choose the right stars to guide you. Travel with boldness and give your fellow sojourners your best. Take the best from them and pass it on.

A long long time ago, before the Internet was invented by Al Gore, people used to communicate by writing things on paper, putting that paper in an envelope, giving it to a letter carrier, who would deliver the paper to the intended recipient. We called them letters. It usually took the mail man anywhere from 2 to 3,746 days to deliver the letter, but we were used to slow in those days.

There were all kinds of letters. For instance, love letters which carried the sentiments of the heart from one person to another. Love letters were a necessity in "long distance" relationships. Soldiers at the front wrote to their sweethearts back home. Whatever the reason for the separation, love letters filled the bill. I wrote a few of them myself. Why, in my day, my love missives were quite the thing. I even sent some of them, ha. Letters were sent to congratulate people about the new job, the birth of a baby, and anything else deserving of a kuddo. Families kept in touch through the mail. A long distance telephone call was too expensive. That was only used to tell someone about a death or some other equally earth shattering news that could not wait for the US Mail.

The letter I want to talk about though is one that still exists in various forms. I am talking about the chain letter. A chain letter usually came from a stranger. This was always intriguing. In those days, junk mail had not been perfected so any piece of mail received was scrutinized. The chain letter promised remarkable things, good health, money, or just good luck. Examples were given:

Wilbur Fritz did not break the chain and he received a check in the mail 4 days later in the amount of $142.87.

To ensure the fates turn your way and smile, though, you have to send money to a list of people. If you break the chain, however, you might experience bad luck. An example of bad luck was also given.

Delbert Dicks broke the chain and a freight train derailed a week later and killed three of his milk cows.

Many people decided to keep the chain going. Why thumb your nose at fate, they would reason.

Well, I thought it was a load of crap. It is just a big pyramid scheme and you start at the bottom. No letter is going to bring about fortune or good luck and it sure as heck won't bring about misfortune or bad luck.

Now a days, I am on Facebook and I do not write that many letters. If I wrote my wife a love letter, she would take me to a psychiatrist to see if he could shrink my mind back into my bald head. I do not receive that many letters either, but interestingly enough, chain letters still exist.

These days, I get emails instead of letters. Sometimes I get an email telling me that Microsoft or some company is tracking this email and if I forward it to so many people, I will get a lot of money. BS. Other chain letters are wrapped in religious clothing. If you don't forward this email to 7 of your friends - I guess 7 is significant, being religious and all - then you will go to hell. If you do not forward it, you are ashamed of God. Other forms are aimed at patriotism. The letter tells a story about a soldier or displays photos of our military. The instructions are to forward the email or you are a comunist, or you do not love the troops, or you are an ingreat. Starving children, homeless kittens, and you name it seem to have chain letters zipping around Al Gore's Internet on their behalf.

I say break the chain. Facebook is full of signs and photos with the admonition - Like to prove you do not hate gays. Like to prove you care about animals. Like to prove your allegience for political party X. Phooey.

I can like what I want and I do not have to click S$%T to prove it. All of this stuff is someone's attempt to get likes and somehow become viral instead of just vile. If you are a contributor to Facebook or have a blog, like your Uncle John, do not shameless try to manipulate people to click like out of guilt. Just throw it out there. If it is any good, they will like it and share it. Otherwise, it will sit there like the other 99% of cyberspace.

So that's my rant. I hope you agree. 

I better get some likes and shares out of this or I will lapse into a deep depression. Don't worry about me though, just ckick like or share if you really want to, not because you don't want to hurt my feelings - as it surely will, but that's ok, do what you want.

Until the next time if there is a next time

John Strain

Physiology is one definition of alive. Just like whispering is sound and candle light is  light. These things are continuums. From a whisper to a thunder clap. From a candle to the sun, sound and light take many forms. Being alive is no different. One's existence can be a boring, unsatisfying routine or something that challenges and beckens one to dream, to strive, and to risk - all for something better.

The things we take for granted today were miracles yesterday. The dreams we follow today will be tomorrow's miracles. Thomas Edison, The Wright Brothers, and so many others followed their own path. They broke with convention. They paid no heed to the smart money betting against them. If you need inspiration from others, you will not advance beyond the dream stage. If you have a passion or a calling you will advance; driven by an internal fire. 

Life is short. The old man or woman wonders where the years have gone. Even a hundred years seem few when you are in your 90's. Time ticks on. Your routine repeats. One day disolves into the next. What accomplishments mark your time? How long ago were they? What are you pursuing today? What gets you up in the morning? What is your passion?

Life is a gift. With every breath, and each second, every smile, each kind word, and every helping hand - all give meaning and satisfaction to our life.

What have you yet to do? What have you been meaning to do? Who do you love that you have not told? 

If you were to die this very night, what would you most miss? What would you regret not doing? What words have you kept to yourself. Do your friends and family know you? Would they know how you feel about them?

When are you going to take that vacation? When are you going to take that course, fix up the house, landscape the yard? When will you visit the nursing home or give money to the cause that you believe in?

You've been meaning to get a pet? You want to learn French? Take piano lessons? Write that novel?

Just do it. Just do it. Just do it.

The hour glass has a limited amount of sand. Your body is breaking down. There is never enough money. Excuses are easy. Plans are easy. 

How do you want your obituary to read? 

Write your obiturary now, then work backward and make it true. This involves work and effort, but it pays off in peace and satisfaction. Just like Andy said to Red in the Shawshank Redemption - "You need to get busy living or get busy dying."

Here's to being alive and here's to really living.

Until the next time

John Strain

Out the door we went, Bear leading the way and me outfitted in my normal regalia. Instead of a crown, I wore my 2006 Boston Marathon cap - did I ever mention that I ran the Boston Marathon? I am sure I did. At any rate, instead of a sceptor I carried a small metal LED flashlight in one hand, Bear's leash in the other.

I could walk our course in my sleep and certainly at night with a flashlight. The walk was uneventful most of the way. It was the typical Louisiana summer night. Unique fauna making their familiar sounds. The frogs, crickets, and locusts seemed to compete for the "who can make the most noise" award in their own nocturnal Olympics.

The air is thick and envelops me. It is so warm I lose my sense of where my body stops and the atmosphere begins. I feel expanded and I blend into the tapestry of the night. My book plays on.

Rounding a corner, I pause as Bear finds something interesting to sniff. A car rolls up slowly and I do not notice it is a police cruiser until the door opens and an officer hails me. I had the typical, "What th. . ." reaction internally. The officer spoke, "Are you alright?" What an open ended question. I am smart enough to know, however,you do not attempt humor when an officer of the law asks you a question at night in the middle of a street. So I suppress the urge to give a wise ass response.  "Sure," I answered. The officer explained that someone reported an old man walking in a red shirt with no shoes on - "But you are wearing an orange shirt and are wearing shoes." All I could say was, "I don't know," and shrugged.

"I guess your neighbors were concerned about you." He said. I agreed, he wished me a good night and drove off.

When random events occur they take some time to soak in. I got to thinking, old man? no shoes? Something does not add up, but I switched my book back on and headed the last few blocks back home.

Two blocks later, I saw him. A little old man - straight out of central casting. He was walking on the side of the street slowly with a walker. He was wearing a red shirt and was in stocking feet. I spoke to him and he returned my greeting. I contemplated tackling him and holding him there until the police arrived, but it was just me and I was not sure I could take him. Mystery solved. I figured he chose this time of night for some exercise. It hs been oppressively hot here and anyone with brains would avoid exercising in it - especially an older gentlemen like this man was.

I saw a number of people on my walk. In about a mile and a half loop I probably saw 5 or 6 groups of people walking dogs or just walking. That is a lot for that little loop. Most days, I do not pass anyone.

So that is my adventure. Bear never acknowledged the policeman. He was engrossed in something in the grass. His nose was planted like it was a magnet to the earth. This post is intended as a public service announcement for the residents of Covington. If you choose to walk at night, be forewarned - there are characters out there, but be assurred - our men in blue are there too.

Until the next time

John Strain

When was the last time a politician caused a lump in your throat because of admiration?

No matter the event and no matter the country, I dare say Olympic viewers admire the winners, the losers, and the also rans. It is not winning the gold that impresses us, but the human stories. We see them as ourselves - they are us. They have families. They have dreams. They are ordinary and they are extraordinary.

There is an honesty to sport. One trains, one performs, and then life goes on. The winners celebrate and the losers - temporarily crushed, resolve to work harder. Their dream is even stronger now. They pursue it relentlessly. 

They are not selfish. They are aware of others around them. They admire a perfect performance and offer sincere congratulations regardless of race or country. They are united as athletes. They are not just tolerant of those different, but embrace them. They interact, communicate, accept, encourage, and truly cheer for eachother.

We are seeing the best of man. We are given a glimpse of how things could be.

Our politicians could take a lesson. Corruption, arrogance, devisiveness, and negative focus are in sharp contrast to the Olympic athlete. Let us imagine a politician growing up in the Olympic athlete tradition. I can dream can't I?

The prospetive statesman would have a noble dream. He would strive to represent all of the people. He would prepare his mind and heart for the task. He would follow the examples of successful leaders. He would value truth, love, respect, and service.

Our present system is broken. The values that drive athletes to perfection are absent from our political leaders, who find ways to justify nearly anything corrupt. Still, there is hope. Much of what is wrong with politics is due to we the people. If the eloctorate does not hold their leaders accountable, then who is to blame. Our leaders reflect our values.

It would be easy to blame the politician. That will not solve anything though. It makes us like the thing we say we despise. Like one leader said - "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." That is what an athlete does. That is what we will have to do to begin fixing this mess.

Until the next time

John Strain

First of all, these three are interrelated. I cannot be connected to myself if I am not connected with God or others. It is a zero sum proposition. Think of the string of Christmas lights. If one bulb goes out so do the others.

Second, feeling connected is a fleeting thing. This is common in life. Feeling satisfied, quenched, and happy is also a time limited state. This is a necessary thing. How would you be able to enjoy fullness without hunger, or the soothing relief of cold water without thirst? Therefore, without a feeling of disconnection, we would not know what connection feels like. 

Those who have been traumatized, abused, and neglected at a young age are hindered when it comes to feeling connected. They learn to not feel. They learn to fear or not to trust others. They learn that they are worth less than others and that they do not matter. They may see God as a distant unconcerned being if they believe in God at all. Their lack of connection has them float on a surface of superficiality, depression, anger, anxiety, and confusion. They seek happiness in form over content. Love and learning can heal them, but it takes time, an open mind on their part, and a loving other who will patiently lead them.

Connected to Self

So enough of theoretical foundations and academia and onto the personal experience. Fortunately, I was loved as a child. I had my struggles with self-esteem due to my visual handicap. I had my moments of feeling sorry for myself, but I had others who helped me see things eyes could not. Our limits are mostly self-imposed. Struggles are universal. I learned to see myself as the same as others. We all have gifts and we all have disappointments and things we cannot change. This view centers me so I do not feel superior or inferior. My sense of humor picks up on the irony of life. When I laugh it is because I relate to the condition. I do not laugh to mock someone who just did something stupid. I laugh, because I relate to the poor guy. I am him. It has been me before, it will be me in the future.

Therefore, to be connected to myself, I must keep in perspective who I am. I am important to myself, important to my friends and family, but less important to the rest of the world. Even if I were famous, rich, or important by the standards of the world, it would not change. My core value in the universe is the same as everyone else. Only to myself and those who care about me is this different. The movie star, the homeless alcoholic, the illegal immigrant housekeeper at Motel 6, and the humanitarian have the same intrinsic worth. They all deserve respect, dignity, and love.

Connected to others

If you view others as I described above, connecting to them is easier. I do not look down on people nor do I overly revere folks either. I admire a lot of people, writers, sports figures, certain politicians, actors, and so on. Still, I would not lower myself to ask them for an autograph. I would see if Barbara would do it for me. Ha. The point is, we may get star struck, but the degree to which you place someone on a pedestal, is the degree to which you devalue yourself.

Others may not treat me with these rules. They may look down on me because of outward appearance, social status, financial worth, education, race, religion, and all sorts of reasons. If they do, that is fine. I just will not hang around them. They can have their beliefs and values, and I can have mine. I do not hate them or do anything to make their life miserable - I simply ignore them. Life is too short and there are so many others who are more compatible with me.

I do not spend much time being angry and bitter. Those emotions only corrode my insides. I do not want revenge, just distance. I have to get them out of my head. I have to lose the anger and resentment, because it becomes a cancer that kills me. I get angry. I do not stay angry. I do not give into it. I do not linger in it.

I described who I do not connect with, that leaves everyone else. Those who I connect with or have not connected with yet. When I think of friends and family, I think of special times. It is a great thing to feel accepted by another, no judgment, no manipulation or expectation. When you truly connect with another, you can be yourself and be comfortable.

When I think of connecting to others, I recall a sense of pure love. Accepting someone with all of their uniqueness, faults, and strengths. Feeling accepted on the same terms completes the circle. The longer you relate with such people, the stronger the bond becomes.

Another aspect of connectedness with others is history. Others give us a connection to the past. They know our stories, they are in our stories. They testify that we lived, to what we said and did. When we lose a friend or loved one, part of our grief is because of this loss. Our parents knew us as babies. They knew us before we knew ourselves. When they are gone, so is a witness of our past.

The bad comes with the good. To be happy we must know sadness. To feel vindicated we must know injustice. There is no connection without disconnection. Life is our time to work this out and to learn to endure the unwanted looking forward to the good. We do this with the help of others. We will console a grieving friend and our friends will support us when we are visited by loss ourselves. 

Connected to God

How did the universe come to be? Where did people come from? What happens when we die? How are we supposed to live? Philosophers and theologians are still working on these questions and a few others. You have roughly 75 years to figure it out if you are lucky. 

I went to church some as a kid, but when I was a teenager, having witnessed the divorce of my parents a few years earlier and heading into a life without meaning, I began to ponder questions such as, What is this all about? My search took me to a Southern Baptist Church, Baptist College, Seminary, and beyond. Now at age 54, things have regressed to the mean in my life. I think I know some things, while others are still mysteries, but I have a peace about all of it.

I do believe in God. I believe God wants us to live a life characterized by love. Love others as yourself. I am a Christian. It is a shame that Christians are looked down on the way they are these days. I suppose it makes sense. Jesus talked about love, he exposed hypocrisy and lived what he preached. His reward was false accusations, a farce trial, and a criminal's death. The law put Jesus to death, because the law can be manipulated by corrupt men. Jesus was about a higher law and Truth with a capital "T". Most of us know what is right or wrong. There is the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. God wants us to follow the spirit of the law.

Connecting to God accepts this. You do not cheat your brother or a stranger. You help where you can. Your impact on the world should be positive. It is better to give than to receive. So I accept the high bar set by Christianity and the Bible. I strive toward it. I fall short, but I keep striving. I do not earn salvation - that is given to my by grace from a loving God. My striving is a testament of my love and obedience to God in response to His love for me.

Being connected to God has a lot to do with nature. The changing of the seasons, the lights in the night sky, the songs of birds, the beauty and grandeur of it all is a constant whisper in my ear that there is a God and he is a great God. I like to nurture my sense of wonder by contemplating things like tree, color, light, our senses, life, death, love, animals, - it is endless.

I remember a sermon in which the minister talked about the difference between the US and Soviet astronauts. The US astronauts went into space and said they saw God everywhere. The Soviet astronauts went to space and proclaimed they did not see God anywhere.

If you believe in an all powerful loving God who created you and loves you. It is not a stretch to see others the same way. It follows to treat them well - believers or not. Feelings of gratitude marinate your soul. You feel appreciation, awe, love, and purpose. It all translates to meaning. How you live is a reflection of these attitudes and beliefs. This way of relating resonates in others and you connect. Feeling the connection to God and others are the key ingredients you need to fully connect with yourself.

The awareness of this waxes and wanes. We give into selfishness, anger, greed, and other vices, but only for a time. The still small voice is always there calling us back, encouraging us to press forward. Christians are the body of Christ. His body exists in the millions of Christians alive today. His work, if it is to be done, is done through his people.

Connectedness therefore, is a symmetry of beliefs and actions pertaining to self, others, and God. I shared some of what it means to me. You, however, are unique and do it a bit different. I would challenge you to think about how you do this in your own life.

In the words of the great thinker Forest Gump, "That's about all I know about that."

Until the next time

John Strain

I had the kind of hope children have. I had faith in grown ups and science. I believed in happy endings and that life was fair. One day, I figured I would walk into the doctor's office and he would tell me about a new surgery. I would have the operation and then my life would finally fall into place.

I was in awe of the doctors. They possessed the knowledge of a scientist, and the skills of wizards. I hung on their every word. Those men had the power to either crush me or to lift me to the heavens.

It was similar for my parents. The doctors offered advice and direction on how to raise a child that was legally blind. The best thing ever said came from Dr. Eubanks. He told my parents when my "condition" was known and reality was setting in, "He (me) already has one handicap. Don't make it two. Expect as much from him as you do your other children. Don't let him use his poor vision as an excuse to not achieve."

"Handicaps" are mainstreamed these days, but when I grew up, being "different" meant a special school and a lot of held beliefs by others that were untrue. I say this to give some perspective to the above. Reading in today's context, it may not sound like such a big deal. With the Internet, my parents would have just "googled" "congenital cataracts" and they would have instantly possessed all the information they needed. Information was something we did not have a lot of then. What we knew came from the annual visit to the eye doctor.

Fast forward 50 years. There never was a miracle cure. I had to adjust to not playing little league baseball and I never drove a car. I work as a crisis counselor in a mental health clinic. The tables are now turned. Sometimes I am very aware that the person I am talking to is looking to me with the same kind of hope I had taken to my eye doctor.

It amazes me how many stories I have heard in which hope was squashed by some doctor either unaware of their power or for some other reason did not nurture the individual's hope. This is tragic, because such a simple thing can have an huge positive impact.

This phenomenon of hope and trust is a powerful tool and is created when one person makes himself vulnerable to another. It is a trust and a responsibility. The helper has an opportunity to do much good or to do great harm. I try to blend honesty, encouragement, and motivation into a message that I hope increases their hope. It feels like love.

This is not something only doctors and helpers get to do. It is something everyone can do. Recall a time you helped someone and you knew it was meaningful for them. The gratitude and relief they exude is a wonderful thing to savor. One is in need, another sees it and responds with help, the first welcomes the help and is uplifted from the burden, and the helper is rewarded in the knowledge. This is love.

Our culture looks for cures in new breakthroughs, innovation, medication, and a host of other places. There are plenty of studies to show the patient's attitude or state of mind influences the outcome. When it comes to helping people, doctors are "leaving money on the table" if they do not utilize a good bedside manner. Hope is not a touchy feely thing for hippie doctors and weirdos. It is a necessary ingredient in the healing process. I know this from personal experience. I know it as a patient and I know it as a helper.

Hope and encouragement do more than help us heal, they make us better parents, bosses, employees, coaches, teachers, and children of God.

The power my eye doctor used to wield was possible because I believed in him. It took trust on my part. It took responsibility on his part. When the trust was rewarded, the bond grew stronger. Relationships grow like this too. You can deduce then how irresponsibility and mistrust affect that bond.

So there you have it - a nice way to love your neighbor. It helps him/her and it helps you too. You can believe it - trust me.

Until the next time

John Strain

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

I was thinking about equality, while reading McCullough's book, "John Adams." All men are created equal and have rights given by God. The rights referred to are: Life, Libety, and the pursuit of happiness. The United States of America was founded on this belief, which is also a philosophy and a value.

As citizens of the United States, we are equal. Laws exist to detail what that means in day to day living. Courts ensure each citizen is heard and dealt with fairly.

When the above words were written, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington each owned some 300 slaves. The issue of slavery already had abolitionists on one side and proponents on the other. It took a costly civil war and some legislation in 1964 to give black people equality under the law.

Women were not allowed to vote in the United States until 1920.

Native Americans were herded around, lost their land, and were settled in reservations.

Unequal treatment has existed in spite of the US Constitution, the laws, and the courts.

When I was growing up, I often got into low level fights with friends. I might punch my friend or the reverse. The victim usually retaliated to "get even." More often than not, the retaliation was judged too harsh. "I didn't hit you that hard." So, feeling justified the offended party retaliated back. "Now we are even." "No we're not." Back and forth it would go and the result was rarely a win win.

In 2010 there are still charges of inequality. Offended parties are "hitting back," but the other side is thinking, "I didn't hit you that hard." There is no win win possible in our present climate.

I think part of the problem is that we cease to be Americans and assume a sub category of American. Blacks, Whites, Latinos, Republicans, Democrats, Women, Gays, Christians, and Atheists.

Special interests are big business. If one can muster a voting block, politicians listen. The scales soon weigh too far to one side and then there is a backlash. Politicians are often less about justice and service and more about keeping their job. So laws are not hewn with the tools of minds principled with service, justice, and honor. Laws are products of the highest bidder. We could close down Washington DC and move the whole process to EBAY.

Today, individuals often look to the government to soften the blow of their uninformed, lazy, irresponsible choices. Current government practice reveals that the constitution guarantees many more rights than Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You also have the right to be bailed out of a bad loan or not purchasing home owners insurance, or health insurance.

The 24th President of the United States was Grover Cleveland (1893 - 1897). He saw government aid as a means of weakening the national sturdiness.

Cleveland vigorously pursued a policy barring special favors to any economic group. Vetoing a bill to appropriate $10,000 to distribute seed grain among drought-stricken farmers in Texas, he wrote: "Federal aid in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the Government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character. . . . "  Source

Equality is not something the government does. It is something God did. Politicians and individuals seeking fortune and fame will gin up class warfare to create a market in which they can thrive. We the people fall for it and learn to mistrust or judge our fellow citizens. We learn to fear each other because we have allowed ourselves to be divided.

The concept of political correctness sets an orthodoxy to smoke out an individual's beliefs. "Are you one of us or are you one of them?" What ever happened to polite debate and an exchange of ideas while sporting an open mind?

The government cannot fix this. I must fix this and you must fix this. We do it by learning about issues - both sides. Practice looking at things from various points of view. Try to understand the stake each party has. Instead of developing battle plan strategy, seek common ground, develop trust, engage on the common level of an American Citizen. Agree to disagree. Show respect.

When one speaks their mind in public there is often an angry response. Polarized talking points are hurled back and forth and then the conversation often gets personal. The other side is either stupid or evil. Good people can hold opposite points of view on issues.

We do not have to fight for our rights, they cannot be taken away. The Apostle Paul wrote these words from a Roman prison:

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Prison cannot take our freedom, poverty can not tarnish the riches of a peaceful soul, and a government cannot take our equality. It is not theirs to give.

Until the next time

John Strain

I am sure there are women who can program remote controls, and even manage to have both picture and sound going when attempting to watch a DVD. I would however, not bet there are many.

Ladies, before you brand me as a male chauvinist pig, hear me out. Sharing an observation and making a generalization is not a hate missive directed at an entire sex.

So with that meager effort toward a disclaimer, I will proceed.

I came home from work the other day, and as is my custom, I went into my bedroom and switched on Fox News so I could get angry and more upset about the world as I changed into my play clothes and shared some Cheeze Its with Bear.

When the television warmed up, it revealed, not my hero Charles Krauthammer, but snow. You know what snow is, it is the absence of Charles Krauthammer when he should be on screen explaining eloquently what I believe in a way I could never match.

I grabbed the remote and changed the set from channel 63 to HDMI1. Like magic, Brett Baier appeared. I had not missed Charles.

I deduced from the fact that the Directv remote's function switch was on TV instead of Satellite Receiver, that Barbara tried to change the channel to QVC or the Food Network, but the remote changed the TV from HDMI1 to the useless channel 63.

Simple huh?

I knew you would agree.

Then why is it I can not teach this to Barbara? I have tried, but have never been successful. I begin to explain, but we wind up in an argument. She impugns the hardware. I defend the hardware. Suffice to say, it all goes down hill from there.

I am always trying to be funny. If Barbara and I are "arguing" and I am holding the remote, I may point it at her and make an exaggerated button push in an attempt to turn down her volume or change her channel. Heehee.

The concept of a television, a satellite receiver, a surround sound receiver, an Apple TV, and a DVD player is harder for her to understand than Chinese arithmetic.

Until the technology is invented that can read a woman's mind, I think Barbara is going to need me if she wants to go from listening to music to watching Trading Spaces. 

I have shared this experience with some of my buddies and they can relate. Their wives get confused with function switches and HDMI ports. I know it is not intelligence. Women do much more complicated things than this. Lord, when I look at all of the tubes, cans, and bottles in the bathroom, I am humbled. How could any one person know what all of that stuff is for and how to use it?

No, I think the problem is one of interest and attention. Barbara is just as happy with the TV off. I guess if she cannot get the darn thing to come on, she just reads a book.

In contrast, hurricane Katrina took out my Directv dish, but I found a way to fix it in time to watch football on week one. Generator powered and the dish arm was propped up with a 4X4, but I saw me some NFL that day.

I have my remotes memorized. I can have one in each hand, pushing buttons and pointing them in the right direction to make my TV screen change faster than a strobe light. 

If I die before Barbara, she is going to have to call one of my friends to come over now and again to un push the mute button, put the receiver on the proper source, or make sure the TV is drawing from the correct input. Then again, she may just find the motivation to learn how to do it.

I have a few minutes, maybe I will watch some TV. Now where is that remote?

Until the next time

John Strain