Part I.....The Thirteenth Year Of The Twenty-First Century

Suddenly, there is a shift in the collective consciousness in the U.S. in particular, but around the world in general, there is a sense of change in which fear, greed and pseudo-power is being called into question and the Spirit of Love is now in the process of influencing the collective consciousness.  The emergence of a transformed state of the collective human consciousness can be linked to the prophetic voice of Jesus who became the Christ.  It was that prophetic voice that spoke about a time when the Reign of God would come upon the face of the earth.  This is not about organized religion or the organized communities of faith, but it is about spirituality and awareness of certain events in this season that opens the possibility for change.

....And (people) will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit down (feast at the table) in the Kingdom of God.  Luke 13:29 (Amplified)

....Nor will people say, Look!  Here (it is) or See, (it is) There!  For behold, the Kingdom of God is within you (in your hearts) and among you (surrounding you).  Luke 17:21 (Amplified)

....Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.  I Cor. 2:9 KJV

....God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him, must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.  John 4:24 KJV

Illumination is an experience in which a person comes to a new awareness or understanding of one or more dimensions of religious faith.  It is accompanied by a number of changes such as: 1) an increased sense of health and well-being; 2) a deeper sense of certainty and conviction in faith, which is characterized by open-mindedness; 3) an experiential understanding of religious faith, which is seen to have meaning in various events and dimensions of a person's life; and 4) a sense of gratitude which is manifest in one's concern for the well-being of other persons.

.

Pope Francis I.....

Who is Pope Francis I?   Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the new Roman Catholic Pope, is the first man in modern era from outside Europe to be the next Pope.  He is the first Pope to be a member of the Society of Jesus, a Catholic Order, founded in the 16th century by St. Ignatius Loyola.  Its members, known as Jesuits, take a vow of poverty and are known for their work among the poor and their scholarship.  The Jesuit order is known to be defenders of social justice and progressive activism.  The Jesuits in Latin America were great proponents of liberation theology.  As Archbishop, Bergoglio, a high school chemistry teacher, had the option to live in a palace in Argentina and access to a chauffeur driven limousine, but instead he chose to live in an simple apartment, use the local bus to go to work and cooked his own meals.

The unique characteristics of the Ignatian Spirituality as revealed in Ignatius's writings and the testimony of those who knew him, especially the first members of the Society of Jesus.  Some of the significant aspects/perspectives include: 1) a highly positive view of God's action in the world; 2) an apostolic perspective essentially oriented toward life in the world "for the greater glory of God;" 3) a dialectic of prayer and action, with prayer directed toward finding God in all things, and action for the kingdom as a legitimate and valuable counterpoint to prayer; 4) a wholistic notion of prayer employing a spectrum of human facilities, including thinking, imagining, sensing, feeling, and breathing; 5) discernment of spirits as a concrete means to judge one's choices against the norm of God's will in the here and now.

In the first act of his papacy, he chose the name Francis, becoming the namesake of St. Francis of Assisi, who gave up his riches and choose a life of poverty and prayer.  St Francis of Assisi, was a Roman Catholic deacon, founder of three Franciscan orders, spiritual leader, miracle worker, author of the famous peace prayer.  Coming from a wealthy family, Francis experienced a radical conversion in 1205 to a life of poverty and service modeled after Jesus who became the Christ.  He is remembered not only for his exemplary ascetic lifestyle, but also for his spirituality, the many miracles he performed in response to all sorts of human requests, a ministry to both the privileged rich and the needy masses.  Francis and his associates converted numerous persons of wealth and stature and encouraged others to make charitable gifts, thereby providing a spiritual force against the emerging social trends of secularism and acquisitiveness.

A Pause.......

Even now in the twenty-first century, the question remains, what is really in our control and what is not?  The nature of human fallibility requires that we answer the question, why we fail at what we set out to do in the world.  One reason may be the "necessary fallibility."  Some things we want to do are simply beyond our capacity.  Thus we should...

.....Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteous, and all these things shall be added unto you.

Much of the world and universe is--and will remain--outside our understanding and control.  Even with all of our technology, there is still ignorance of the unknown.  Science may have given us only a partial understanding of the world and how it works.  The intersection of science and theology gave us the Theory of Everything (T.O.E.) and yet there is the question of "necessary fallibility."  Maybe its ineptitude where we as human beings know that the knowledge exists, yet we fail to apply it correctly for many reasons that in include inequality in income, healthcare, marriage, hunger, etc.

Weaving the lives of citizens into the rich tapestry of America where "We the People" find grace to stand in solidarity with all of the people in this very diverse society.  This requires a shift in the collective consciousness on planet Earth where our love of community exceed the fear that is perpetrated by a small group of individuals who have systematically concentrated wealth to control the masses of people.  Perhaps the greatest achievement of humanity is not its works of art, science, or technology, but the recognition of its own dysfunction and find humility in an ever emerging and transending world.

Part IV: The Noise of Silence/Unemployment

The Great Recession that started in December 2007 ended in June 2009 and recovery began to be a reality for certain sectors of the U.S. economy.  However, involuntary unemployment remain high among more and more families who had depleted their savings, lost their homes, and for many people, lost their hope.  Unemployment is down, but for many people, they have not recovered from long periods of involuntary unemployment.  U.S. citizens living in one of the most advanced nations in the world, rich in resources, talent, and knowledge--all the ingredients for prosperity and a decent standard of living for all-- remain in a state of intense pain. 

Too many people on so-called Main Street (which include side streets, back streets, the back roads, the other side of the tracks) are finding today that they cannot succeed no matter how hard they work, and no matter how scrupulously they follow the rules.  At the same time, other Americans, including the worst of Wall Street, apparently cannot fail--no matter how inept, corrupt, or lazy they are, and no matter how many times they break the rules.  President Obama, in his State of the Union address, tried to reassure ordinary citizens that there is still hope, but we have to help him make America do the right thing for all of its citizens.

There are 400 families controlling more wealth than 180 million Americans.  But corporate America's millions of casualties are beginning to find their voices, stand together, and fight back against joblessness, homelessness, and despair.  Inclusion and fairness must continue to be the mantra as the movement of millions of people--committed to fixing our democracy--find solutions to income inequality while progressive business groups find new pathways to prosperity for their communities.

There is always some unemployment in a complex, dynamic economy like that of twenty-first century America.  However, "not since the 1930s have so many Americans find themselves seemingly trapped in a permanent state of joblessness."  Long-term employment is deeply demoralizing for workers anywhere.  Losing your job often means losing your health insurance, household family savings are depleted, bill can't be paid, and homes are lost.  Lose a job in this economy and you will find it hard to find another.  And if you stay unemployed long enough, you will be considered unemployable.  The blow to this dilemma is also a blow to dignity and self-respect. 

In America today, we have both the knowledge and the tools to end this suffering of involuntary unemployment.  Being a citizen in America means different things to people.  But the center of gravity is always the same:  in our country, an ordinary person with citizenship--who was not born with great wealth or a famous last name, but who is willing to apply herself of himself--should be able to find employment, live in a safe community, make progress financially, retire with dignity, and give her or his children a better life.  We are talking about living a life of consumption; it is about being able to live a life with meaning and purpose, productivity and contribution.  Thus, using smart choices, honesty, and hard work should be sufficient keys to a fulfilling life.

Part I: The Noise of Silence (Defined)

What is the voice of silence?  The voice of silence can be heard very loud among individuals in our society who find themselves being marginalized, disenfranchised and ignored.  It is the sound of voiceless people living in poverty, children who are hungry, those who are unemployed, the sick, elderly without proper housing and adequate health care.  It's the low-income citizens or no income citizens; it's the migrant worker without access to health care; it's the mentally ill with a dreaded undiagnosed disease; it's the substance abuser who cannot get appropriate treatment;  it's the raped victim who may not be able to get a legitimate abortion;  it's the sound of depression, stress, chronic diseases, illiteracy, loneliness, fear, and anxiety.  Are we the people listening?  Are we the people paying attention?

Part III: The Noise of Silence/Health Care

Managed health care, the model for health care before Obamacare, emerged in the 1990s as an attempt to answer the problem of excessive costs in the U.S. healthcare system.  The hope was that by treating the caring profession as a business rather than a service, bottom-line discipline would bring run-away costs under control.  The changes in health care delivery are exemplified by the health insurance industry, which created a new method of delivering health care.

A wide range of groups emerged to "mange" care, that is, managed care organizations (MCOs), health maintenance organizations (HMOs), preferred provider organizations (PPOs), point of service groups (POSs), independent practice associations (IPAs), insurance reviewers, hospital administrators, institutional managers, and the purchasers of groups needing care who run the health care corporations.  The difference between HMOs and PSOs (provider-sponsored organizations) is ownership.  HMOs are usually owned by insurance companies, whiles PSOs are owned directly by doctors and hospitals.  Essentially, the "1 percent" of the health care industry in our society who prefer the business medical model as oppose to the new potential accountable care organizations (ACOs) resulting from the Affordable Care Act (the "99 percent" Obamacare).

Whatever the type, managed care functions as individual, profit-driven corporations whose product is medical care.  The vocabulary used by these organizations reflects their corporate image:  the "consumer" (formerly the patient), the "provider" (the physician and other health care professionals), the "insurer" (the reimburser for any care), the "buyer" of health services (most often the large employer organizations).  A certain dollar amount is negotiated for health care for a certain number of patients whether the care is given or not; the provider shares with the insurer any financial risk for the actual costs of care.  And despite the observation by some health industry analysts that managed care heralded an alternative to the medical model, it fits squarely with that model.

In this new Health Reform environment, language can be a barrier in describing the underserved population in the U.S. healthcare system.  A person-centered approach will help to reduce health disparities among people who are classified as low-income, minorities and lack access to adequate quality health care.  Merck pharmaceutical with its MerckEngage .com commercial best describes the person-centered model:  The people in the commercial provided the following:
..."I am not a statistic; I am not a target-market; I am not a demographic, or data, or a patient.  I am a person; a butcher; a mom; a daughter; a teacher.....I am a human being who happens to have type II diabetes.  The Affordable Care Act allows us to be fully human, if "We the People" decide to make health care available to all the citizens in the United States.

Part II: The Noise of Silence/Depression

The extent to which the noise of silence pierce the fabric of our society is but a reminder for "We the People" to take action to stop this noise.  Depression is just one of the problems inherent in a society where the voiceless can not be heard because we fail to find adequate solutions.  The health care crisis creates unprecedented opportunities for the people of faith to be major providers of preventive education and a site for an expanded role for primary health care.

The new prevention and wellness programs provided for in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in opposition to the advocates of the free market system often celebrated as a mechanism, unabashedly driven by self interest, that lets us exchange goods and services without the need for redemption.  Healing is more than treating diseases; health care more than a commodity; and huge corporations not the vehicle of choice for the delivery of appropriate health care.  What we need is a comprehensive and accessible health care system that is available for all U.S. citizens.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) now covers annual screening for depression for Medicare beneficiaries in primary care settings that have staff-assisted depression care supports in place to assure accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and follow-up.  The decision to use a specific tool is at the discretion of the clinician in the primary care setting.  However, coverage is limited to screening services and does not include treatment options for depression or any diseases, complications, or chronic conditions resulting from depression.

Choices in treatment will be influenced by one's value system, and recovery may be linked to one's personal faith.  The "faith factor" is significant in a patient's recovery from a wide variety of illnesses.  It appears that the faith itself rather than the object of the faith is of primary importance.  The first element of faith is expectancy of improvement which may actually produce improvement.  Suggestion is another powerful force.  If one expects to improve, one will.  Cultivating a sense of hope about oneself and the course of one's illness is central to recovery.  Hopelessness creates a sense of futility.

The Final Moment……

The noise of silence at the end of the fourth quarter of life

Allows us to reflect on how well we played the game.

Words—the healing power of words—are available to us

During this transition so that we may better understand the

Divine aspect in everything we may do, say or see.

It’s the language of spirituality—feelings—that will help us

To garner our emotions to express what matters the most in life.

We will learn the lesson, be grateful, and get on with life.

America: In the Beginning……….

Now is the time in the history of this experience that we call America when we, as Americans, should debate the role and value of government and the role and value of the private marketplace which is missing in our contemporary politics.  Before the debate can have real meaning, one would have to revisit the beginning with the desires of the Framers of the Constitution.

The Preamble to the Constitution has no force in law; instead, it establishes the “Why” of the Constitution.  Why is this document in existence?  It reflects the desires of the Framers to improve on the government to be “more perfect.”

…..We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessing of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Part of the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776):

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

Of course this did not include African Americans or women until later when Amendments were added.

So why are we moving toward a society in this great America experience in which everything is up for sale?  Before the financial crisis of 2008, there was an era of triumphalism that started in early 1980, when former President Ronald Reagan and Britain’s Margaret Thatcher proclaimed their conviction that markets, not government, held the key to prosperity and freedom.  This notion of markets idealism continued with former President Bill Clinton and Tony Blair who consolidated the faith that markets are the primary means for achieving the public good.

Today, that faith is in doubt.  The era of market triumphalism has come to an end.  There should be a moral limit on markets if we are to achieve a balance in the public and private sectors in our society.  The reach of markets, and market-oriented thinking, into non-market norms is one of the most significant developments of our time.  For example, consider the proliferation of for-profit hospitals, schools, prisons and the outsourcing of war to private military contractors such as the ones used in Iraq and Afghanistan.  These uses of markets to allocate health, education, public safety, national security, criminal justice, environmental protection, recreation, procreation, and other social goods was not as prevalent thirty years ago.

Today, the logic of buying and selling in the public and private domain no longer applies to material goods alone but increasingly governs the whole of our lives.  If the experience called America is to become a more “perfect Union,” we must debate the limits of free markets.

An Alternate View of the Science of Human Behavior……..

Economists argue that economics offers not merely a set of insights about the production and consumption of material goods but also a science of human behavior.  At the heart of this science is a simple but sweeping idea:  In all domains of life, human behavior can be explained by assuming that people decide what to do by weighting the costs and benefits of the options before them, and choosing the one they believe will give them the greatest welfare, or utility.

The alternate view to the science of human behavior is the dimensions of mind and spirit. Research in the study of disease causation reveals the dimensions of the mind and spirit are crucial factors in the disease process.  What we think and feel seems to be as vital to the state of our health as the food we eat or the exercise we engage in.  The emergence of the holistic model of the person or the person-centered model of care views the human being as a total person, an individual with social, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs as well as obvious physical needs.  Changes in one dimension of the person will trigger changes in other dimensions of his or her personhood.  What emerges from this unified understanding of the person is the conclusion that the health of the spirit is the vital dynamic in the health of the whole person.

So what is the fundamental meaning of the science of human behavior as it relates to the spiritual aspect of human existence?  Does life really have meaning—any real meaning—or do we just live and die in a small frame of a pointless, accidental cycle of the universe?  Why is everything the way it is?   What is the rhyme or reason behind all this?  What is our purpose in living?  Where can we look for—THAT--which is ultimately real, that unlimited source from which we derive life and meaning?  Behind all such questions is a fundamental one.  The question of meaning in its deeper aspects involves us in the realm of the “sacred” where thinking and feelings are revealed.

The “sacred” is about a path to ultimate transformation.  It is expressed in thought, action, and feelings.  The “sacred” is not something to be proved or disproved.  It’s a certain feeling.  The “sacred” realm of reality with ultimate significance is the ultimate good in human life.

Sophia…….

Sophia is a special lady!! She is my daughter-in-law, but I usually drop the (in-law) part. Sophia is always present in the lives of all the people who have a need of her attention—brothers, mother, daughter, husband, nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, distant relatives and, yes, her father-in-law.  There are many, many hugs, kisses, how are you, sharing and greetings, stories to tell, up-dates and, of course, food to share and food to be prepared. There is always food to be prepared—especially on Sundays, holidays, special occasions and birthdays. Sophia uses every minute of every day engaged in the lives of family and friends and all kinds of tasks—it’s like art in motion. I usually get my time in the kitchen on Sundays when she is preparing Sunday dinner. I learn about her latest concoctions which she always warns me that it may not taste good because something may be missing. I learned about how long to keep the entrees in the oven, the latest cookware, some new recipes and spices, and an update on the latest news and future family events. In between all of these activities, she may run an errand, take the clothes out of the dryer and forever cleaning, cleaning and cleaning as she shares her kitchen with her mother.

Her dream is to one day become an interior decorator. Knowing Sophia, she will have that interior decorating business. Recently, I watch with deep admiration as she got totally involved in helping to move me to my current resident. Like clockwork, it was done with precision and with a Sophia touch!!  She find time to give my son instructions and make sure my granddaughter has eaten, clothes and hair is in place for school and homework is completed. 

How fortunate my son must feel to have this wonderful energetic lady in his life—after all, they just celebrated fifteen (15) years of marriage. Happy Anniversary Sophia!!!! 

The X Generation………Solving for X

“It is in that it”

When you look in the mirror, you see a reflection of the truth in plain sight!  You are already that which you can become.  If you are to become something, a time process will be a must.  All of those who have known, they have also known that becoming is a dream.  You are already that being—you are perfect as you are.  Imperfection appears because you are asleep to your own perfection.  The Creator has to flower within you.  The Creator is always there within you—you can never separate yourself from the love of the Creator.

That which you are seeking has already been achieved—you are there NOW!  When you look in the mirror, you can only see a reflection of the miracle that is you!  There is no one on the face of the earth just like you.  You are special.  Out of many possibilities, you were chosen to journey in this life, to discover the good and the bad, but in the end, find real meaning.  Learn the value of forgiveness, discover true friendship, explore goodness, and help whomever you can.  Always be available when needed and be the first to say “yes.”  I will go, send me!  Enjoy good food, genuine friends, satisfying conversations, and experience those moments that stay for a lifetime.

The Creator has placed gifts in our soul.  In these gifts you will find personal power, fulfilling work, rewarding relationships, enduring friendships, and everlasting goodness.  Know one can tell you how to live your life—you have the freedom of the “will” to choose your own path.  Know one can tell you the secrets of the heart, but with faith and discernment all things will be revealed to you when the need arises.  Go to the Source, the Knower, and ask for help.  Ask for guidance—ask to be a servant of humankind.  Try to imagine how it must feel to be at perfect peace!  Close your eyes and you are there.  Are you listening—are you paying attention!

We can respond to our soul’s need as it winds its way through the maze we call life.  We can be the protector of our own souls with renewal and restoration.  This is not about being perfect—perfection has its place.  This is about living patiently in the moment with life as it presents itself day by day in each moment of existence.  With the intersection of technology with theology in these contemporary times, people complain of emptiness, meaninglessness, depression and disillusionment about family, marriage and relationships.  They are feeling a loss of values, yearning for personal fulfillment and hunger for spirituality.

We yearn excessively for entertainment, power, intimacy, sexual fulfillment, and material possessions.  And we believe we can find these things if we discover the right relationship or the right job, church or therapist.  But in the end, it’s about “caring for the soul.”  Caring for the soul requires a special crafting of life itself, with an artist’s sensitivity to the way things are done.  Caring for the soul requires skill and attention.  As the seed of soul unfolds into character and personality, we must watch and participate in this special event which comes with history, a language, and a unique mythology that is the centrality of belonging.

It is our responsibility to cultivate our souls.  It is the focal point or vector, the centrality of who we are, and yet it is far beyond our capacity to devise and to control it.  It is so special that Jesus who became the Christ reminded us that the Kingdom of God is within us.  It’s the place where the Holy Spirit resides.  But not until you cultivate, retrieve and participate in the things of the soul can we reach the ultimate spiritual fulfillment.  It is inspiring to care for the soul.  It is what life’s journey is all about.  Start this day and care for the soul.

Civility Matters…….

“Whatever happen to civility?” is an often heard lament from strangers, neighbors, and friend!  Our civil society is changing at warp speed as more and more people accept incivility as the “new normal.”  For example, the escalating vulgarity and hateful rhetoric similar to the derogatory comments by Rush Limbaugh to Sandra Fluke who was trying to protect a woman’s access to contraception and preventive health care.  Moreover, the firing of Pat Buchanan from MSNBC for his white supremacist rhetoric is another example of this level of incivility.  We are witnessing a time where there is lax standards, sensational media and polarizing politics.

While rudeness is pervasive and rising, the societal and financial costs of incivility are astronomical.  It is because we have sold our soul for comforts and conveniences, for status and success and let the few wealthy individuals control our destiny.  Our bizarre behaviors as a result of incivility manifest themselves in some basic disorders such as depression, loneliness, boredom, sleep deprivation, and yes, violence.  We suffer from feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, guilt and worthlessness.  More people live alone in this country than ever before.  Thirty-six percent of Americans say they are lonely.  But it’s not just living alone, it’s that we don’t gather together just to be together.

Under the veneer of top corporate executives, the veneer of control is depression and despair.  To get to the top, they’ve had to give up almost every thing:  time with themselves; time with friends; time with family; and most of all they had to give up their values and their dreams of making a difference in the world.

Perhaps we have lost touch with a depth and substance in life that we are searching for so that we may reclaim and experience of aliveness and authenticity.  Maybe we will find some zest and enthusiasm that may lead us back to a time when life had meaning and purpose and caring for others.

Disappearing ……..

How often do we disappear in the middle of a conversation?  Someone is talking but we are not listening.  It’s like an imaginary conversation because we are not in the room.  We are some place other than where our body is located.  You can be looking the person in the face thinking about the news; tee-time; what’s for dinner; the next appointment with my stylist, doctor or accountant.  And you are asking yourself, “When will this conversation end?”  You are looking around the room smiling at total strangers hoping that someone will rescue you from this boring conversation.

Our disappearing and have imaginary conversations do not work well with family, especially with children.  A child will continue to call to call your name until they have your undivided attention.  Other family members will become angry and stop talking until you acknowledge their presence and show some respect for the conversation.  We all do this!  We disappear when it is convenient for our sanity.  We will nod appropriately and make noises, and yet, we are not listening.  When someone finally calls us out with anger and resentments about our disrespectful behavior, we are shocked and defend our behavior and quite adamant about our actions while claiming to have a lot on our mind—“I’m sorry” is the immediate reply when caught in our disappearing act.  One of the most important gifts we can give anyone is the gift of our honest self.  All of us, no matter how young or old, need a web of family, friends, neighbors, community and social networks.  In our contemporary society, it is easy to lose sight of our role in this web.

Me …… and My Story

There is a realization that no situation or event is really finished because it becomes part of a bigger story that is repeated over and over again.  Me and my story is a series of moments and situations that bends and, in some cases, almost break me at time when my life is seemingly out of control.  The situations in my life are always changing and there are lessons to learn, but one must stop, look, listen and pay attention.  And so the questions vital to my personal search for meaning and purpose, focusing specifically on questions relating to my inner life and the quality of existence, are open-ended questions with life essentials at the core and contains timeless and always contemporary provocative investigations and discussions that begs for answers.

Me and my story is the same for many people with similar questions.  Why am I so unhappy?  Why do I continue to grieve for a loved one who died many years ago?  Why am I alone?  Why are friends hard to find?  When will the pain go away?  Will I ever be loved and cared for?   What happen to the hole in my soul?  When will the rain stop and the sun shine again in my life?

When I let go and trust again, then the notion whose I am is realized again….and me and my story find peace again, joy will replace sorrow and the darkness in my life will be light enough!

WHITNEY…….

Whitney Houston…..this extraordinary woman with the playful smile, adorning eyes and that golden voice…..what an exceptional gift that God gave to her to share with the world and we are better because of Whitney’s gift.  As many of us sat watching the home going of Whitney, we were reminded of the value of family, friendship, social networks, surrogate mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers and what it mean to have fans that love you, but only watch from a distance as the family ask for quiet time.  They wanted to remember and reflect on the wonderful spirit that they shared with the world, but also remember the child that was exposed to the dangerous and complex world of entertainment.  Their willingness to share the gift with the world exceeded their own fears and in the end Whitney came home to that small circle of family and friends where the burst of love and joy exposed Whitney’s faith in a loving God and resilience was shown in stories and song.

All of us, no matter how young or old, need a web of family, friendship, community, church, nature, time and spirit.  In our society, it is easy to lose sight of the web.  Yet, even in the dark, we can find the faithful remnants and begin to weave again.  Friendship is based on trust and chemistry.  And why it happens or why it rises and falls, and rises again, is a mystery like a fine piece of music.  A friend accepts you for who you are, but expects you to be all you can be.  Friendship can fight off depression and despair.  And it’s time to reflect and remember the little things about life, family and what we know to be true about ourselves so that we may change for the better.

Returning home after the home going celebration of Whitney Houston, we can reflect on life’s many twists and turns, fears and anxieties and maybe say about ourselves…..”Didn’t we almost have it all”…but in the end it’s the voice of Whitney that gives life hope and meaning.  In the final analysis, it if the life we live that is our gift to God.

The New Marginal People in America

The Recession created a “New Marginal People” in America—the middle-class and military families.  This marginality changed the conversation in this country to now address the social determinants of ill-health such as illiteracy, fatalism, gender bias, racial bias, unemployment, mental illness and poverty.  There is something fundamentally wrong with this country when 1% of the population can determine the quality of life for 99% of the population.

Now that the Iraq War is over and brave men and women are coming home to their families in the middle of this marginality war.  Maybe there is something to be learned from the Japanese experience in America.  In spite of being incarcerated in concentration camps, the second generation of Japanese-Americans affirmed their total and unconditional loyalty to the county that totally and unconditionally abrogated their right of citizenship, and volunteered to join the 442^nd unit, an all-Japanese American Regiment.  That unit was “probably the most decorated in United States military history.”  These citizens earned 18,143 individual decorations, including one Congressional Medal of Honor, forty-seven (47) Distinguished Service Crosses, 350 Silver Stars, 810 Bronze Stars, and more than 3,600 Purple Hearts.  They gave life and limb to prove their loyalty to a nation and people that rejected them.  The same can be said about the all African-American Tuskegee Airmen unit.

We are a multi-ethnic people in America—Asians, Africans, Hispanics, Europeans, Native-Americans, and Pacific Islanders—but Out-Of-Many-One—Americans.  Our souls are split because of the pervasive power of the so-called dominant, central group’s perspective regarding centrality.  This reality causes the marginal to become powerless and invisible people.  We are better than that and what we do about marginality can prove it!

Thankfulness

According to Merriam-Webster, Thanksgiving Day is a day appointed for giving thanks for divine goodness—and I concur!  However, Thankfulness is about coming home again to a time when there was a shred of hope while hanging on to that fragile thread of life laden with uncertain signs of suffering which without family and friends we find ourselves living in the shadow of doubt and fear.  It’s about deconstructing old Thanksgiving images of the so-called saintly pilgrims praying with pious Indians preparing for a long cold winter in America.  It’s about remembering the pictures of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Dr. Martin L. King permanently displayed on your mother’s dining room wall with a desire to place a picture of President Barack Obama beside these icons as a living witness of change—and be thankful!

You NOW know that Thanksgiving Day is more than turkey and dressing with all the trimmings; pumpkin pie and turnip greens with hot rolls while listening to cool jazz.  It’s about loved ones sharing their stories, telling old jokes, and remembering your childhood experiences with sweet memories and laughing out loud—and you realize that you must re-construct the image of Thanksgiving with a cultural twist.

It’s in these moments in the midst of your wounded life, filled with anxiety and anticipation—you don’t have to accept a flawed sense of self.  You can come home again!  You can come home, first to yourself and your ideas and then to others who matters most in your life.  So life’s finite existence with all its limits, boundaries and confinements—at home it doesn’t matter!   No matter how accomplished you may appear to the outer world, you experience yourself lacking permission to feel and desire what you feel.  Thus, the pattern of doubt that transcends your consciousness allows you to believe that you are not valued, and yet, when you come home to yourself, family and friends confirms just how valuable you are and how much you are needed in their world.

How do we avoid the powerful currents in life that sweeps us away from our own dreams and aspirations?  What relationship do we have with ourselves?  It is the unknowns in our lives that make us uncomfortable with ourselves.  In many ways, we remain in service to the past.  It’s those repeated “silent instructions” from our parents, grandparents and mentors in our lives.  And then you must admit it is ME and—it is the “Other Person” in ME that holds both a distraction and a painful reality that gets my attention.  But when you come home again, you can start all over again with new ideas, be authentic, think savvy but be humble, define your vision, speak with more clarity, don’t follow the crowd, and be faithful to the dream.

When Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary

There are times when we wish that we could be lifted out of the ordinary mundane existence we call life to something that perhaps more than what was given to us.  Maybe more than what we have already achieved!  We are compelled to strive to make a difference, not only in our lives, but in the lives of others.  It’s those individuals that we are sure that have been left behind.  When we can face the facts that we don’t know what to do, maybe this boring, taxing life is just “all made up” by a small band of wealthy people who decided to play a game, a hoax which is only real to those who choose to play the game—it’s all a game!

 Go sit on the bench called Reflection.  It’s on the bench where you will find truth.  It’s on the bench where transcendence is a possibility and ordinary becomes extraordinary.  Did the recession teach us anything about the game?  Only 1% of the population sold out 99% of the rest of the population.  Amazing!!  It is the greatest hoax EVER!  You don’t have to play “follow-the-leader” any longer.  The leader is lost!  Go to the bench and Imagine-a-Nation filled with happy, talented, creative, loving and powerful people.  You can go to the bench NOW!!  You can get out of debt, go back to school, write the book, produce the play, solve the mysteries of that math and physics problem, write a new computer program, plant a garden, learn to play the cello, visit the sick, become an entrepreneur, go to a concert—sing, dance, practice yoga, meditate, pray—but don’t get back in the game!

On the bench you will see the truth in plain sight.  You will recognize the noise of silence.  In the game of life our silence is “noise.”  When we transcend to the awe and wonders of real existence, then silence has meaning—silence has purpose—silence becomes the gift of the extraordinary life.  So go to the bench and sit quietly and do absolutely nothing.  You will feel a glimmer of hope, a new idea will be realized, a fresh thought will come without any help, and joy will replace sorrow—and the ordinary will be replaced by the extraordinary.

Waiting………..And Waiting ……………………

Everyone endures waiting—often impatiently, sometimes anxiously, and sometimes with excitement.  We wait in the emergency room when a loved one or a friend is rushed to the hospital.  We wait in traffic, at the bust stop, at the train station, the post office, the grocery store and even the stop lights.  We wait for the seasons to change from Spring to Summer; Summer to Fall; Fall to Winter and, yes, Winter to Spring.  We wait for changes in the world—better health outcomes, a new vaccine for a dreaded disease, better schools, clean air, the computer to boot-up or just a friend to call.

What can we do while we are waiting?  Can we use the time to give thanks for life, for love, for joy, for grace and for mercy!  Can we give thanks to the Creator for the air we breathe or the water we drink—maybe give thanks for another day, another hour, another minute and for the potential in our creative imagination that may change the world for the better!  Can we give thanks for our children, our family, our career and a place we can call home!  Can we think about thinking to see our thoughts in action!  Are we so angry, sad, tried or frustrated to the point that we can’t feel or see any possibility for happiness or joy?  Do we think about “others” who may desperately need our help?  Are we too busy to care, to vote, to send a card to a friend or text a child and say “Love Ya!” 

You can decide what to do while waiting—you only have the moment that you are in NOW!!