Life Is Precious

Abolish the Death Penalty. Visit Arkansas.

I debated long and hard before creating and posting the above and following images. The reason being, I feel strongly about injustices being perpetrated by States' Legislators and governments as a whole but do not want to create more negativity. At the same time, like so many of us, I'm frustrated and want to create awareness using art and humor; humor based on the hypocrisy, stupidity and fear that many legislators and governments worldwide are basing their decisions and subsequent actions upon. 

End Discrimination. Visit Texas.

Fear is driving many decisions; fear of losing something we have or, something we want and won't get. In order to protect ourselves from the perceived fear we then need to place blame, blame on "others". ""They" are taking our jobs. ""They" are causing wars and committing crimes." ""They are what scares me most because "they" are so different from me."

End Discrimination. Visit North Carolina.

There's absolutely to wisdom involved when making important decisions based on fear. Of course, first you'd have to be aware that you're making fearful decisions and that takes a willingness to look deep inside. It's called self-actualization. How many lawmakers do you know that make decisions based on wisdom and not on fear, arrogance and stupidity. (I use the word "stupidity" not to suggest that lawmakers are stupid, but rather that they are not operating from a place of wisdom when making decisions that in general, do not support and help the needs of the citizen they represent.)

Instead of operating out of fear creating division, what would happen if we started from a point of understanding ourselves first, what we're truly afraid of and then question our thoughts, actions and behaviors? What would happen if lawmakers and governments around the world sincerely valued each and every life? What would happen if their decisions were based on courage, empathy and abundance? I know what would happen; we'd stopping harming and killing each other at such an alarming rate. We'd produce more life affirming goods and services based on understanding each other's needs, We'd use wisdom to make decisions that affect living beings instead of fear, self-centeredness and selfishness, and lastly, we could have real happiness.

There are very good, upright, caring, considerate, kind, and helpful people throughout this Country and around the world who just want to live in peace and be happy. We need to let our elected officials know that they need not be afraid, there's 'enough' for everyone; and that more money, power, and policies and laws based on discrimination will not create lasting happiness. 

Oh, what a world it would be. For now, make a difference. Start by taking a look at yourself, questions your motives and what they're based on. Fear begets fear which drives hatred and violence which, is good for no one. Tell your policy makers to take a breath and choose wisdom instead of fear. Considering supporting the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, the United Nations Human Rights Fund, and the Southern Poverty Law Center because life is precious.

Ready To Take the Plunge?

Are you ready to take the plunge? If so, do you feel your heart pumping, palm sweating and your skin tingling? Take a deep breath, let go and push over the precipice; the rewards will be beyond your expectations.

No matter what you maybe wailing and gnashing over, once you make the decision to "go for it" and your get into the stream of the unknown and exciting you will know what it's like to have courage. And people who have experience with courage know that each dive over the cliff builds more confidence and strength. From going back to school to changing careers to delivering to facing up to your liabilities, making a decision to change takes courage. And courage as you know is not the absence of fear. The fireman-woman, the EMT worker, the middle school teacher, blind athlete running all move through fear with courage when they take that plunge.

How old do you need to get before you go after what you really want? How long to you want to keep your dreams in prison? How many more people do you need to see get in that 'kayak' and slip off the rocky edge before you take a risk and "go for it?" Only you can answer that. Sometimes people need help getting in that little vessel. You don't have to do it alone. So, dare to dream really big and get in that kayak!

Horses & Pigeons Save The World

On Tuesday after one of our runs in Central Park, my friend Dale and I were talking about the world's troubles, with all of its strife, hatred and senseless warring. We agreed that all hatred and killing came down to the ego and its irrational fear; fear of losing something: one's security for example. We also agreed that one ingredient towards a peaceful existence is tolerance. You can witness this exemplary behavioral practice on any given day or hour of the week on a New York City Subway. It takes a lot of tolerance to live in a city like New York underground or above. So, if we can practice tolerance on a subway car why can't we practice it elsewhere?

It's been said many times that we can learn a lot from animals and I agree. Take the example of pigeons and horses as pictured above. Everyday before the horse-drawn carriages (I disapprove of this business completely) in Central Park are loaded up with tourists, they are fed a bucket of oats. Within seconds of the bucket being placed in front of the horse, a flock of pigeons alight at the horse's feet. They know that in order for the horse to swallow it needs to lift its head after licking up its morning carbs. (The metal plate in the horses mouth doesn't make eating any easier.) Pigeons are extremely smart as well as friendly and trusting of horses and humans. When the horse lifts its head out of the bucket the pigeons jump onto and into the bucket pecking up the nutritious oats. When the horse has swallowed and leans in for another mouth full, the pigeons acquiesce. This sequence is repeated until the bucket is emptied. Both the horse and the pigeon get what they need. The horse could obviously take out a one-pound bird with a quick kick to the head but he doesn't. He's tolerant of the pigeons. Maybe, he even has a willingness to share?

Why are we humans so afraid to tolerate and or share? Why do we have such a need for greed? Why do we not look after and care for each other more? Why do we not learn from all our past mistakes? If we are so much smarter than pigeons and horses, why as a species do we kill each other at such an alarming rate? (In Iraq alone, an approximate 100,000 civilans have been killed since 2003.) And yet, we're considered the most intelligent and most highly developed species. How many horses were killed by other horses last year?

My philosophy is that you don't not need to like me. Nor do you even have to respect me but you can not touch or harm me. That's pretty basic. The respect would be nice but hell, I'm giving that one away as a freebie. Just don' hurt or kill me is all I'm asking. Think of the effect this credo would have on the Middle East situation. I'm not even suggesting that the Israelis and Palestinians share the Strip and the 1950 Armistice Line blow away with a desert wind although, in my wildest dreams that's exactly what would happen. They too have pigeons and horses in Gaza. Don't they see how they get along?

Thousands of miles away from the fighting in Iraq, Israel and oops, I forgot, Darfur, is the place where you live and work. How much tolerance and sharing takes place there? Are you lifting your head up to see what the 'pigeons' need? Do you tolerate those that you may not understand or like? The Bucket is very large and there's enough inside for everyone. Go ahead, show the animal world that you really are the smartest species around and share.

Without TV +1 = Terrorism and Gratitude

It's day one without television and I was going to write about all the withdrawl symptoms I'm experiencing and how I found an unending source of entertainment dealers and pushers who offer free t.v. and movies over the Internet providing countless hours of electronic feeds to the hungry monkey on my back. But instead, I once again was reminded today of just how good I have it, as do many others in the developed USA and that the luxury of t.v. is just that, a luxury and a not all an important one to boot.

I broke down this morning and wept while reading The New York Times reporter, Nicholas D. Kristof's article Terrorism That's Personal over the acid attacks on women in Pakistan and others areas of Asia. Want to put things in perspective? Read the article. Want to know how insane and fearful we really are? Read about the senseless trampling of and subsequent death of the temporary Wal-Mart worker on Long Island on Friday. And of course, the large scale systematic Mumbai murders this past week will have you scratching your head in amazement.

"Fearful" You say? Yes, it's all fear based. Why would anyone take to the horrific act of intentionally disfiguring his wife by pouring acid on her face after the couple divorced? Why would a group of male, motorcycling marauders dowse teenage girls with the same acid on their way to school just because they wanted to get an education? Fear. I imagine the thinking goes something like this: 'if women get educated then they'll be empowered and if they get empowered than us men will be less than the women and that can't happen because then the women will be in charge and before you know it they'll want us to stay at home and cook and clean and do whatever else they tell us to do.'

Fear drives all anger and acts of hate. From the insidious rumor mongering about a co-worker to the extreme and abhorrent operations in Mumbai. The anger that many of my business clients relay to me about being passed-over at promotion or bonus time comes from fear and it goes like this: 'That bastard got the promotion and I didn't. (Subtext: 'I'm less-than, no good, not smart enough, or appreciated enough. Soon, they'll fire me and I'll be without a job and then I'll lose my home and end up living on the street and then I'll die of tuberculosis or meet some other unthinkable fate.')

Fear is disguised in many forms and I myself am not immune to it. Let's all just stop and take a breath when frustration starts to boil over to anger. Frustration is inevitable but anger is avoidable. Just be aware. "Why am I angry? Is it because I am afraid that if "they" get more than their fair share I'll be left with less?" Take pause good people, at home, at work, at the mall and especially at the Post Office. Ask yourself, "Is it that important to be right?" Yours and my anger will not fix nor correct any problems, it will only exacerbate them. It not only poisonous to your nervous system, it also takes years off of your life and of the those around you.

This evening instead of watching endless t.v. shows all about nothing, I will be huddled on the sofa, with a roof over my head, reading a book with the knowing that I truly have it so good and prayers and hopes for a calmer less angry world. If you're experiencing unspent anger consider channeling it to the Progressive Women’s Association who helps the "acid" victims and advocates for women's rights violations. Another progressive organization that "addresses the unique needs of women in conflict and post-conflict environments" is one that my wife and I are actively involved, Women For Women International.

One thing is for sure, I'm glad that I am a Happiest.