Passion drives us toward anxiety or commitment.
The ability to concentrate and work through to solutions within the realm of our possibilities is the difference between anxiety and commitment.
One destructive and instructive, the other constructive.
A Half-Million Raindrops
I wrote a poem today, but I don’t like it much. So I thought I’d write about what I’m thinking… then maybe you can tell me what you think.
I was thinking this week that we shall see the deaths in our country exceed half-million due to a pandemic that was at first denied, then for political convenience a delayed response, while science which is too often denied, still came to the rescue, to create a chance for us to weather this storm, and to enjoy the joy of a rainbow rather than the ugly arch of recent history.
Each raindrop is about 1/480th of an ounce.. a half-million raindrops is 8 gallons of water. Imagining this much rain, enough to drown in. A half-million deaths, is more than we endured in two world-wars and the vietnam war, all within one year… and yet we are numb to the numbers… we cannot relate to the loss. We see only the recovery. The rainbow is the arch we look to… and maybe this is what makes us human, the unrelenting hope for a better future.
Well here is the poem I wrote… but I am torn about what message is sensible in this understanding… what message should I look to?
A Half-Million Raindrops
The arch of history bends
As does light through rain
And wet on our faces tends
Not in anticipation of a rain-
bow, rather tears that lends
Onto the loss of souls in the reign
Of sickness that portends
A half-million drops of rain
An eight gallon loss sends
Us swirling down the drain
As this arch surely never mends
While we seek rather in the main
The joy a rainbow arch sends
The High Wire Act
He amazes, he seems to defy gravity and good sense, he leaves us aghast and exhausted with his hypocrisy, but it is a glorious hypocrisy, one worth watching and learning from!
These are the thoughts that come to mind as I was watching Mitch McConnell’s (MM) speech just after he had voted to acquit Trump for incitement of an insurrection. MM is the politician’s politician, and as such is worth listening carefully to what he was saying. Within the same day, within hours, he defends Trump by holding his Republican caucus together to acquit, then convicts him in words of being “practically and morally responsible” for the insurrection, the damage, the deaths, and the attack on the constitutional duties of congress upholding our democracy. He says Trump has not gotten away with it yet. Suggesting that there is Department of Justice consequences for his actions.
MM acquittal decision was based on the admittedly questionable (by MM himself) constitutional argument that someone who no longer holds office cannot be impeached, because the penalty of removal from office is not possible. And if it is impeachments purpose to prevent someone from holding future office, then he argues that impeachment could be applied to any non-office holding citizen. The argument is specious and simultaneously an amazing high wire act.
What he is doing, is worth noting. He is clearing his conscience by attacking Trump in his speech, but that is a minor point. He is giving his party the narrowest, high wire argument to support their reasons for acquittal… while at the same time making it clear to donors, people that write big checks.. .that it is OK to come back to the Republican party. They they will be cleaning this up and he, MM will be taking back the GOP from Trump.
Wow, what a high wire act… gives hope, gives danger, and entertains. Frankly, I’m OK if there is no net if he falls.
Did you watch last night’s episode?
I remember that it was common to talk about the last episode of the popular television show the next morning around the coffee pot, or amongst friends. That just doesn’t occur anymore. There is no proverbial water cooler, nor community coffee pot, nor for that matter episodes to discuss. Rather we stream, so we talk the merits of one series over another, and what season are you up to? Maybe Game of Thrones was the last of an era of episodically watched shows? And it jumped the shark too!
When was the last time you said, did you watch last night’s episode?
Happy Super Bowl Sunday! – Monday’s Reaction
Yes the last year has been full of drama, full of surprises, full of challenges! But today is Super Bowl Sunday, and it is the strangest ever as the crowds will be smaller, but still loud! The hometown team for the first time playing at home in the Super Bowl. The Greatest Of All Time up against the Kid that will become the Next GOAT! Exciting, fun, and something rare and new.
My prediction: Bucs win over the Chiefs by a score of 27 to 24. And surprisingly with all the talk of offensive prowess, the defense will play a critical role. The Buccaneers defense has been playing ever better and they will find a way to slow down the Chiefs potent offensive weapons, and give TOM BRADY enough field time to move the ball and score points.
Close game, but a Bucs Win!
MONDAY: I was so wrong… not a close game… because great defense by the Bucs, and for that I was right, defense played the critical role. They more than slowed the Chiefs, they held them to just 3 field goals! Todd Bowles (Bucs Defensive Coordinator) is amazing! And Tom Brady wins his 5th Super Bowl MVP… Wow!
Bucs win: 31 to 9
Waiting to be Found
Waiting to be Found
How many children are like spare change
Lost wherever guardians rested
Valued only when someone digs deep
Between the cushions of safety and horrors
Of cough drops, tissues, decaying food
Of violence and poverty and pain
To be found and pulled from oblivion
And with a bit of shine, to be a value
To be exchanged for sweetness
Of ideas of survival, of nobleness
Of humanity and inspiration
For those of us who never
Knew the pangs of being lost
The Morning Commute
The Morning Commute
Each morning they make the commute
From nesting lands toward the rising sun
Shining in their eyes and warming
Thousands of them
With their squeaks and squawks
Each and all protesting the commute
Or sharing their thoughts on breakfast
As part of their morning ritual
Only to do it all over again in reverse
Toward a setting sun
With the glory of a day being done
Still protesting their commute
Or telling of the day’s wins
As they squeak and squawk their way home
Just to do it all again, tomorrow.
Lady Time
Lady Time
The sinews of life can seem brittle
And Time she is short and maybe a little
Annoyed with those of us
Who curry favor and fuss
About getting somewhere, being done
That we fail to appreciate, while on a run
That we are using her up, willing her speed
Until we no longer have this very need
And we find our place on the porch
Telling stories of carrying the torch
The chair cackling laughter in rhythm time
At our desires to slow, and pace our mind
So, she may choose to be a little unkind
If we have asked too much of Lady Time
Our New Day
Our New Day
Yesterday, my spirit was lifted
Not only by a leader
Not by the words said
Not by the glorious hope of a poet
Not by humanity we should expect of politicians
But rather the strength of our institutions
The strength of We the People
Whose will was not denied
Whose fair and wise voice
Was heard in the halls of our Capitol
Over the stain of slander
Over the crimes of the misled
For we survived the test
For we are stronger and more resolved
And we will overcome
All challenges that stand in our way
We the American People
In our New Day
Something New
Something New
She gives a sideways glance
As she said, oh yes
To the inquiry of slumbering well
For that was then and this is now
The present and near future matter,
Not the transition to now
For the rest of sleep is a given
Unappreciated when young
But the moment of today is alive
Dreams are something of hope
Not things of memories
Easily forgotten in their purpose
Rather then the purpose of future
With the connections today
With the need of freshness
And so the question seemed
Ridiculous and obvious the
Answer, if one only knew
How to retain the view
And youthful purpose
Of every day is something new.