The More You Hear...

Earlier this week there was a news story about a Vermont church that was going to sell its most prized possession - a Tiffany stained glass window - so it could keep its homeless shelter open. Once the story was aired by ABC Evening news, contributions began to pour in to help. I don't know as of this writing if the goal of keeping the window and helping those in need was met, but it seemed the church was well on its way.

Tonight on the news was a story of a Wisconsin man whose wife was undergoing chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. He wasn't there to accompany and support her because he had lost his job and to continue insurance coverage, he joined the army... at age 39! I wonder how that story will play out. Once the public hears of something and there is publicity, often there is often an outcry and a favorable outcome. There are many such examples.

Finally, what we don't hear or see on the news is how many of our brave soldiers are being injured or killed in two wars somewhere else. It's not easy finding accurate numbers of those wounded or killed. During the Vietnam Conflict, there was a daily announcement of numbers with film at 11. There's been quite a blanket of silence these days, these months, these years about Iraq and Afghanistan. Every so often, there is an inspiring news story about a veteran who has overcome his (usually) adversity. He had been a strapping 6'4" 225 pounder who lost both legs and almost his life. The focus was on his turnaround. The story concludes: "'Whatever the Army decides I can do best, I will do it,' Karcher said. 'The moment they give me a job that I look at as charity, I'll walk away from it. As long as I'm still making a contribution, serving soldiers, I'll stick with it until I die.' For now, he looks forward to seeing the soldiers he commanded return from Iraq. Lt. Colonel Tim Karcher is determined to stand and greet them when they arrive." A truly touching story!

That last story is an example of making lemonade out of lemons. Tim Karcher is one of the inspiring success stories that make us all proud.

BUT, we need to hear more, much more about all the others. Maybe we should re-read and think about Wilfred Owen's poem "Dulce et Decorum Est...."

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of disappointed shells that dropped behind.

GAS! Gas! Quick, boys!-- An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And floundering like a man in fire or lime.--
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,--
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.*

*It is sweet and honorable to die for one's country.

There may be "good" wars. These are not.

More on Christmas!

Last night I went to my first-ever gospel concert. The featured main act was The Praise Brothers (http://www.americangospel.com/praisebrothers/index.asp). Opening the evening for them and joining in along the way was Brother Rick Clogston (http://www.blogger.com/profile/11221078603492597383).

The evening for me and the small group that attended was enchanting and truly delightful! I left impressed with the commitment and belief these musicians share as well as the basic message. As there was little for me to do but listen and enjoy the music, I did have lots of time to think and reflect on the words, something that is missing in too many people these days. In my last blog entry, I mused on the meaning of the Christmas season. After last night's concert, I'd like to go further.

The concert was presented by the Plymouth (NH) Lions Club and served a two-fold purpose. First was purely an evening of truly inspirational entertainment. Also, we wanted to introduce who the Lions are and what we do. We have been called "New Hampshire's best-kept secret. We quietly help others and don't toot our own horns, which is why not everyone has even heard of the Lions.

(Sudden switch of topic) When today's paper arrived, it was chock full of ads for Christmas gifts - one ad was kind enough to list the "must-have gifts" while most of the others touted the newest, hottest items - at least that's what the ads say, and people must feel better than others when they get the newest latests (I mean, isn't that why people will fight over items?). You often guess at something someone wants, and maybe they do. If not, you have at least fulfilled the gift-giving obligation, which is what the Christmas season is all about, right?

WRONG! Without wanting to insult anyone, there really are a lot of stupid toys and waste-of-money gifts, yet year after year people keep repeating the same behaviors. I would like to propose something new: how would you like to give someone the gift of sight? If you are reading this, you take your sight for granted. A gift to the Lions Club will buy someone an eye examination and a pair of glasses or help with the purchase of a hearing aid. Unlike most other charities, with the Lions, a full 100 percent of money raised from the public goes back to the public.

Give a gift this year that really matters and makes a difference. Consider supporting your local Lions Club or sending along a gift in someone's name to The Plymouth Lions Club, PO Box 1821, Plymouth NH 03264. Whatever you send is not something that will be used for a few minutes and then tossed aside. It will change someone's life.

Remember the true message of the season.

Merry Christmas to All!

It's almost that time again - the time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Actually, maybe I should say, Merry Christmahanukwanzaakah" so I cover most bases and no one feels left out.

Regardless, I got thinking (as many others have) about what Christmas really means (or should mean). When I hear stories of people camping out all night in all kinds of weather to be among the first to get into a store to buy the newest, latest, hottest gifts, and people getting trampled and injured in the rush ("I want mine!"), it's a wonder so few see and understand what's really happening. So few people step back and ask what's really going on. As Trung Bui wrote online: "It's that time of year again. When the shopkeepers groan, the mom and dads moan, and the kids scream their little lungs out for you to comply with their demands. It's Christmas. The time of the year that has ranged in so many meanings that it seems like people just make their own stuff up as they go. Over the years, traditions included crying, yelling, apologizing, and probably falling over dead drunk after making a regrettable mistake with your friend's girlfriend." Woo-hoo!

Christmas is supposed to celebrate the birth of Christ. Trung Bui goes on to add: "For a holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus, people sure do show it in a rather strange way, what with the sales, the constant red and green shoved into my retinas, and about ten thousand shows dedicated to the events leading up to that single day that a baby who was the son of God was immaculately conceived by a lowly girl named Mary. OK...I guess I can get behind that, but what's the deal with the fat guy in the red suit with this list of EVERY single kid in the world? Also, can someone please explain to me why there's a rabbit hiding painted eggs when Jesus is resurrected?"

I used to feel a deep sense of inner peace as people walked around smiling, thoughtfully shopping, and saying a sincere hello to each other and quietly and sincerely wishing all they met a Merry Christmas. The buzz words used to be "Peace on Earth" and" Goodwill to Men" (meaning not just men but all people, of course). Now, everything's changed and I miss those old feelings about the way it was. People are stressed today and hurrying everywhere. Others have said it, and I say it here: Let's get back to understanding and acting appropriately about the real meaning of Christmas. If I can understand that, you should be able to as well.

And I'm not even a Christian.

B.A.!

To me, it's "B.A." Those of you who were aficionados of "The A-Team" will understand the reference. B. A. Baracus was the character the kitten was named after; given the kitten's attitude, it was a good choice if I say so myself.

Unfortunately, my wife didn't quite see eye to eye with me and felt that "Barnabas" was a good choice (we both watched "Dark Shadows" earlier in our lives). As in any good relationship, we compromised - I mean, it's not like cats really know their names... although T. S Eliot might disagree. Anyhow, the compromise involved the name "Barnabas Atticus." The "Atticus," of course, was a tribute to perhaps the ultimate cinematic father-figure of all time - "Atticus Finch" from To Kill a Mockingbird (it also referred to the fact the kitten was found in the attic of our barn - gee, we're clever). That kept the B. A. You know, this is getting confusing. The final name we ended up with was "Barnabas."

It all should have ended there except for one small detail - Barnabas, it turns out, is a female. Surprise!
I suggested maybe "Barnabess," but that didn't carry the right sound.

As of today, it's still Barnabas (or "B. A.").

Just thought you'd like to know all that.

Now, tell me you still have trouble sleeping...

Here's Looking at You, Kid...

It started last night. We had just left a play from my old high school, and I started to notice arcs of dark light in the corner of my vision when I shifted my eyes from side to side. Then this morning, I saw a couple of dark "floaters." They looked like small spiders hovering before me. I called my ophthalmologist's office to see if he has hours and if I should be looked at. He wasn't in, but he was set up for a few hours at the area Senior Center. I found him, he took a look, and told me to meet him at his office. He didn't have hours today, but I guess it was that important. He numbed my eye and took a look around inside. Turns out I am undergoing what's called a vitreous detachment, common for my age. He said by age 80, 80 percent of the population would have experienced such a detachment. He added that there was a 90 percent chance of no serious issues with me, but if he saw any tears in the back, it was laser surgery right then! Bottom line, while there was a little capillary bleeding, overall I was okay. He will check me regularly over the next several weeks to make sure things remain routine. No exercise or heavy lifting for me (as if I would) - I also shouldn't read the paper because of the rapid back and forth motion of my eyes. I can use the computer and read books, but I have to do so slowly. Ah, the joys of growing older.

It's that simple... really!

Two thousand or so pages of a health care bill! These clowns in Washington are going about it all in the wrong way. I say we should work backward! The bill self-states it is "To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes" (those last four words are disturbing. They allow anything else to be slipped in, but that's another story).

If the folks in our nation's capitol just took the rest of the words and said, "Okay, this is what we want to create - affordable, quality health care. How do we get it?" we might just do okay with it. It's that simple... really. The way it is now, I believe they are saying, "How can we take care of big business first?"

Give the people affordable, quality health care! Is that too much to ask? I don't think so.

Wal-Mart Let Me Down

ARRRGH!!!!!

It is not often that I get truly excited anymore. Maybe a month or two ago I read that Stephen King had a new novel on the horizon - it was supposed to hearken back to his earlier style of writing, which was what I really enjoyed. It was also his longest work to date (1,088 pages), even longer than the uncut The Stand. I love long books. The scheduled date of release was today, November 10th.

Meanwhile, along the way, Wal-Mart got into it with Amazon - a price war of sorts on some of the more popular book titles. The short of it is that King's book was selling in both places for just under $9! The companies hoped that people who bought one book would buy others. Wal-Mart made a big deal of being a place consumers could always count on for having the lowest price even if it was by a penny (the CEO himself said so in an interview I heard just a few days ago [at least I think that's who it was {and when}]).

Soooo, I thought about camping out by the Wal-Mart door this morning to be one of the first to get and start the book, but I had other things to do (like sleep [never quite enough]). Besides, I knew the store'd have plenty of copies, so I would still get one no matter when I got there. I had other errands to run, so I waited and got to the store around 11:00 AM. I took a deep breath and headed to the book rack... and there it was! Unfortunately, the price sticker was just under $24! I thought there was a mistake.

When I got home, I went online and found the price online at both Amazon and Wal-Mart had risen to $17.50. I didn't know the $9 price was for pre-order only! Arrrgh! There was no way I was going to spend $24 for a book, so when I went back to the store later in the day, I asked a manager if they matched their online price. "No." I tried to look pathetic, but it didn't work. If I wanted the book TODAY, I had to fork over $24. I have to admit that I thought about it.... I did end up buying a Lee Child paperback to hold me over.

When I got home, I did order it... from Amazon along with a couple of other books (free shipping). I gotta save a few bucks where I can.

I don't know if I should send Wal-mart HQ in Arkansas an e-mail or not. Usually all that happens is someone down there has the store manager up here call me, which I don't like (I am sure the manager doesn't like it either). However, the next time I get one of those surveys....