So for the past 5 or 6 years I have had very rare but somewhat disconcerting issues with my throat/trachea/larynx. Sometimes when I'm awake and sometimes when I'm totally asleep, I suddenly can't breathe. My trachea simply closes right up. It happened last week when the dental hygienist was cleaning my teeth. It freaked her out and she insisted that I see someone before I ever returned. It has been scary to Russ, too. It only lasts a minute so I don't pass out or anything but no air can pass into or out of my lungs. So, I went to an ENT specialist this morning to find out if he could figure out what the problem is. We went over my history of thyroid surgery in 1974, tonsils and adenoids (twice) removed as a kid, exercise-induced asthma, periodic but chronic hoarseness which I thought was caused by acid-reflux, and these strange episodes. He numbed my sinus passages down to my throat then put a scope up my nose and down my throat. He told me to force air through my sinuses and to sing "Eeee", twice, then said, "Interesting!"
He asked if I had had any hoarseness after my thyroid surgery in 1974. I told him my surgeon had told me at the time that I shouldn't plan on a singing career because I probably wouldn't ever be able to sing like I had before. Well, right after the surgery I had no voice for awhile but then it seemed okay. Recently I have noticed more hoarseness and I can't sing quite as well as I used to. I just figured it was another aspect of aging. Then he said, "Well, one of your vocal cords doesn't work, it doesn't move." Amazing! I guess I have been compensating which might explain why I simply can NOT get consistent high notes when I sing. The doctor said that what I'm experiencing is spasms of my larynx which can be caused by any little thing and there is nothing that can be done for them. He suggested angling the head of my bed up to help avoid the possibilities of acid reflux during the night stimulating a spasm. He said the good news was that he didn't see anything seriously wrong so there isn't anything requiring surgery.
So, I have a bit of a dilemma. In researching c-diff (mentioned in my last post), I found out that those most prone to this chronic disease are people who have had lots of antibiotics or people on PPI's. That's me (Nexium). A PPI is a proton-pump inhibitor which is what you take when you have bad acid reflux. The decrease in stomach acid can allow the nasty bacteria to multiply. On the other hand, I could have more problems being able to breathe if I do any less than I am currently doing to cut down on acid reflux. Ironic, huh?
Monday, November 07, 2011
Friday, November 04, 2011
Is this it?
There is a scripture that states, "For a desolating scourge shall go forth among the inhabitants of the earth, and shall continue to be poured out from time to time, if they repent not, until the earth is empty, and the inhabitants thereof are consumed away and utterly destroyed by the brightness of my coming." There are other similar references. As I have become aware of horrible diseases, I always wonder which is the scourge the Lord is hoping will get our attention. Was it polio? Was it malaria? Is it AIDS or any of the STD's? How about the "super bugs" that seem to be cropping up lately now that our wonderful vaccines and antibiotics have killed off the wimpy plagues? Lately I have learned of another possibility- it's called C.diff which is a nickname for clostridium difficile. I don't know what the first word means but the second word is French for DIFFICULT and that's what this thing is! It's a bacteria that lodges in intestines and causes horrible diarrhea with fever and basic mind-confusion. It can be brought on by the extended use of antibiotics (and even proton pump inhibitors like I take for acid reflux) which tend to kill the stomach bacteria that are GOOD for us because they kill other nasty bacteria. Ironically, the only way to kill these bacteria is an even stronger antibiotic. Now for the nastiest part- the bacteria appear to have gone, by stool test results, BUT, they have only gone into hiding. They hide out in little pockets of the intestine then as soon as you have any even slight illness that takes your immune system's attention, they start multiplying again. IT NEVER GOES AWAY! To make this even worse, the most prevalent place for this bacteria is hospitals and nursing homes. The very places people go to get better can give them something that will never go away and makes them slowly waste away with reccurrent diarrhea. It's like the old horror stories from before the medical professionals knew about keeping things sterile. Now we keep things sterile, spending billions of dollars a day on disposable everythings, and we have just whittled the diseases down to where we have this monster bacteria. We currently know of at least 3 people in our circle of acquaintance that have it. It is just so incredibly sad. We are just more and more anxious for the "brightness of His coming"!
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Greek Festival
Today Russ and I went to a small Greek Festival. I really love Greek food and thought this would be interesting. The festival is sponsored by a Greek Orthodox Church that is trying to raise funds to build a church building. They are currently meeting in a slightly modified large steel building which they purchased from a Baptist Church. We paid our $2 each to enter the grounds then walked around looking at the various items displayed in booths: jewelry, some clothing, beautiful art (Greece with its stark white buildings layered on hillsides next to deep blue water is so strikingly beautiful!), as well as food. I wished for additional stomachs as well as a bottomless purse so I could try everything available! We ended up getting just one gyro and one Greek salad to share along with a large bottle of water. (It was 99 degrees and the sun was very intense.) I know I always get gyros- but that's because I so like them and really don't have them very often. (Maybe twice a year..??) However, I have vowed that the next time I go to a Greek restaurant, I will try something else. We were grateful for the awnings set up over many tables lined with chairs so we could sit in the shade to eat. It was not disappointing! Then, for dessert we each got a "baklava sundae". Who knew ice cream could be Greek?! It was vanilla ice cream drizzled with honey and sprinkled with bits of baklava (phlyllo dough with walnuts). It tasted wonderful and the cool ice cream felt so good in our mouths.
Shortly after eating, there was a "tour" of the church. It wasn't so much a walk around to see the inside of the church as it was a chance to get into air conditioning, sit in comfortable seats and learn a little about exactly what and "orthodox" church is. I found it very interesting. I have to admire the church members who are diligently seeking to remain "orthodox" according to the written and traditional history of the original church as established by Jesus Christ 2 millenia ago. They believe, as I do, that Jesus Christ atoned for the sins of all who accept Him as their Savior. They believe, as I do, that Jesus was resurrected and that we will be, too. They believe, as I do, that Jesus Christ will again come to the earth and there will be a time when all we be judged and assigned a "mansion" accordingly. Their belief in "Saints" is to use them as role models, not worship them or pray to them. I think that's cool. They have "icons" all over their walls which are elaborate paintings of saints as well as Jesus. The priest emphasized that they do not pray to any of these depictions. They are just there as reminders of what kinds of people they should follow, especially Jesus.
We stood outside after the "tour" and baked in the heat for a little while waiting for the Greek folk dancers. I don't know if there were any adult dancers that performed later, but the children we watched were really cute. Their costumes were fairly elaborate, especially considering the heat! Because all of the shady seats were taken by this time, we sat in the broiling sun. I don't do well in intense sun. After 30 minutes, I was starting to feel nauseous. The children were done but we didn't stay to see if there was going to be anything else. Oh, and the whole time outside of the dancers with their accompanying music, there was a 2-man band playing Greek music. It's amazing how one keyboardist and one stringed instrumentalist (it's like a guitar but shaped like a balalaika), both of whom can also sing, can be sufficient to produce music non-stop hour after hour. And it sounded pretty good to me! I kept my toes tapping the whole time when I stood still or sat.
I had a thought as I was enjoying the food there. Last night we were generously treated to dinner by neighbors for whom we watered plants and stuff while they were gone a few weeks. We went to a Texas Roadhouse, basically a steak house. We were grateful to be taken to a place that was definitely a little more than just eating at Taco Bell or Subway. However, (you guessed this was coming, didn't you?) we were pretty turned off at the volume level and the seasoning on the food. Whereas the food we ate at the Greek festival today, like the food we ate over the summer in Italy, was delicately seasoned with herbs, lemon juice, and other pleasant but subtle flavorings, the food in the steak house was like the atmosphere: in-your-face loud and obnoxious. The music was pretty loud hence the conversation at each table was loud, everybody trying to be heard. The meat and vegetables in my shish kebab were an assault on my tongue. Russ had steak fries that were way too heavily seasoned with some kind of seasoned salt. (The rolls were really good, though.) It's no wonder that Americans have gotten a reputation all over the world for being loud and showy. It's good that we have confidence. It's good that we are not afraid to step in and help, which we do a LOT!! But I think it would be nice for us to be a little simpler, a little more humble, a little better at listening and pondering, maybe going at a little slower pace, too.
Shortly after eating, there was a "tour" of the church. It wasn't so much a walk around to see the inside of the church as it was a chance to get into air conditioning, sit in comfortable seats and learn a little about exactly what and "orthodox" church is. I found it very interesting. I have to admire the church members who are diligently seeking to remain "orthodox" according to the written and traditional history of the original church as established by Jesus Christ 2 millenia ago. They believe, as I do, that Jesus Christ atoned for the sins of all who accept Him as their Savior. They believe, as I do, that Jesus was resurrected and that we will be, too. They believe, as I do, that Jesus Christ will again come to the earth and there will be a time when all we be judged and assigned a "mansion" accordingly. Their belief in "Saints" is to use them as role models, not worship them or pray to them. I think that's cool. They have "icons" all over their walls which are elaborate paintings of saints as well as Jesus. The priest emphasized that they do not pray to any of these depictions. They are just there as reminders of what kinds of people they should follow, especially Jesus.
We stood outside after the "tour" and baked in the heat for a little while waiting for the Greek folk dancers. I don't know if there were any adult dancers that performed later, but the children we watched were really cute. Their costumes were fairly elaborate, especially considering the heat! Because all of the shady seats were taken by this time, we sat in the broiling sun. I don't do well in intense sun. After 30 minutes, I was starting to feel nauseous. The children were done but we didn't stay to see if there was going to be anything else. Oh, and the whole time outside of the dancers with their accompanying music, there was a 2-man band playing Greek music. It's amazing how one keyboardist and one stringed instrumentalist (it's like a guitar but shaped like a balalaika), both of whom can also sing, can be sufficient to produce music non-stop hour after hour. And it sounded pretty good to me! I kept my toes tapping the whole time when I stood still or sat.
I had a thought as I was enjoying the food there. Last night we were generously treated to dinner by neighbors for whom we watered plants and stuff while they were gone a few weeks. We went to a Texas Roadhouse, basically a steak house. We were grateful to be taken to a place that was definitely a little more than just eating at Taco Bell or Subway. However, (you guessed this was coming, didn't you?) we were pretty turned off at the volume level and the seasoning on the food. Whereas the food we ate at the Greek festival today, like the food we ate over the summer in Italy, was delicately seasoned with herbs, lemon juice, and other pleasant but subtle flavorings, the food in the steak house was like the atmosphere: in-your-face loud and obnoxious. The music was pretty loud hence the conversation at each table was loud, everybody trying to be heard. The meat and vegetables in my shish kebab were an assault on my tongue. Russ had steak fries that were way too heavily seasoned with some kind of seasoned salt. (The rolls were really good, though.) It's no wonder that Americans have gotten a reputation all over the world for being loud and showy. It's good that we have confidence. It's good that we are not afraid to step in and help, which we do a LOT!! But I think it would be nice for us to be a little simpler, a little more humble, a little better at listening and pondering, maybe going at a little slower pace, too.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Unsung Heroes
Parents of infants and toddlers all complain at some point about the undesirable task of diaper changing. It is certainly the least pleasant part of caring for children, no matter how adorable they may be. The task gets less and less pleasant as the children get older. The parents all breathe a sigh of relief when potty training is successful and , other than some brief teaching moments on the necessity of thorough wiping, the parent can disassociate themselves with the whole process.
At the other end of life, the need for very personal assistance in this unpleasant task arises once again. Every day as Russ and I visit the care facility where Mom is staying, we see men and women who have chosen a career to help people but their everyday tasks require spending considerable time helping people who can no longer deal with bodily functions on their own. Changing the "poopy" diaper of a 6-month old is much easier than dealing with a 200 pound 85-year old. We see these people, paid only slightly more than minimum wage, deal with all kinds of unpleasant tasks all day every day with multiple people, some are constipated, some have diarrhea, some soak through their clothes and everything onto the floor. Then there's the spitting up, throwing up, coughing and hacking, and having to examine every sore and rash. I have long realized a gratitude for the men who brave the overpowering odor of garbage to take away MY refuse in a big truck so I no longer have to look at, smell, or deal with it in any way. Now I am developing an even greater gratitude and respect for those who actually pay money and expend years of study and training to have the privilege of wiping butts and changing soiled bedding. We pay some flashy-dressed public idol millions of dollars for singing a song or pretending to be someone else well in a movie. But these people that do what we cannot or choose not to do get paid a mere pittance and, even worse, often are ignored or possibly disrespected because they have not worked enough to achieve the full title of "Doctor".
I cannot pay them with more money. The ones that help my mother are working in the facility that takes people who cannot pay the high price of a really picturesque care center. I have no more money than they do. But what I can do is appreciate them, not just by saying thank you once in awhile. I can also treat them with respect and acknowledge their efforts in a very real and personal way when I speak to them. They are providing a great service to society.
At the other end of life, the need for very personal assistance in this unpleasant task arises once again. Every day as Russ and I visit the care facility where Mom is staying, we see men and women who have chosen a career to help people but their everyday tasks require spending considerable time helping people who can no longer deal with bodily functions on their own. Changing the "poopy" diaper of a 6-month old is much easier than dealing with a 200 pound 85-year old. We see these people, paid only slightly more than minimum wage, deal with all kinds of unpleasant tasks all day every day with multiple people, some are constipated, some have diarrhea, some soak through their clothes and everything onto the floor. Then there's the spitting up, throwing up, coughing and hacking, and having to examine every sore and rash. I have long realized a gratitude for the men who brave the overpowering odor of garbage to take away MY refuse in a big truck so I no longer have to look at, smell, or deal with it in any way. Now I am developing an even greater gratitude and respect for those who actually pay money and expend years of study and training to have the privilege of wiping butts and changing soiled bedding. We pay some flashy-dressed public idol millions of dollars for singing a song or pretending to be someone else well in a movie. But these people that do what we cannot or choose not to do get paid a mere pittance and, even worse, often are ignored or possibly disrespected because they have not worked enough to achieve the full title of "Doctor".
I cannot pay them with more money. The ones that help my mother are working in the facility that takes people who cannot pay the high price of a really picturesque care center. I have no more money than they do. But what I can do is appreciate them, not just by saying thank you once in awhile. I can also treat them with respect and acknowledge their efforts in a very real and personal way when I speak to them. They are providing a great service to society.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Our twilight dinner cruise
Since our birthdays are less than a week apart and we don't have any needs or desires to collect any more "stuff", we decided to celebrate with an experience rather than a party, cake, or presents. We found out about a "paddleboat cruise" on a lake not far from Phoenix- surprisingly. We made reservations and, on the appointed day, set out on a drive to find Canyon Lake. As we left signs of civilization, we began to worry about whether we were on the right path. The picture below shows what all of the landscape looked like, with the exception of the lake in the background. All we saw was rocks, sand, cacti and other desert plants under a hot sun. 
When we saw the lake in the distance, we breathed a great sigh of relief. Our reservations requested that we arrive at 4:30 and it was nearly 4:00 before we saw any sign of water. The Snake River has been dammed in several different spots, the Canyon Lake being one of the results of a dam. We got our "boarding passes" and climbed aboard the Dolly Steamboat at 5:00. The 2 1/2 hour cruise included dinner and some beverages for $60 per person. We were pretty thirsty so were pleased at the serve-yourself lemonade and water containers immediately available. (There was also coffee and iced tea. Alcoholic beverages and soda were available for a fee.) The boat left the dock and slowly made its way toward what looked like the end of the lake. We began to wonder if we were just going to go in slow circles to make the trip last 2 1/2 hours. But as we neared what looked like the end of the lake, we saw the opening around the high canyon walls and continued along the river for over an hour. As it started getting dark, they turned on lights on the boat. They were the rope-style Christmas lights so they were subtle and romantic. They played pleasant music, at a comfortable volume to allow conversation, interspersed with a smooth-voiced tour guide explaining some of the sights along the way.
I guess this picture makes me look sad but I was definitely not sad. I was feeling very pleasantly relaxed, something I too rarely feel. They had a barbeque grill on the fantail and were soon cooking filet mignon and chicken breasts. Since it took some time to have everything prepared, we were glad for the availability of purchasing snacks and tried to stave off the hunger (made worse by the smell of barbeque) with a little package of cashews and a bag of chips. Each passenger got both meats, along with salad, baked potato, green beans (they were too spicy for me but Russ was able to eat them), roll, then apple pie for dessert, a nice meal.
The boat was sufficiently large to carry passengers enough to be profitable but small enough to be fairly intimate. We did wonder, after having driven some very twisty, narrow roads with several hairpin curves, how they ever got the boat out to this surprising body of water in the midst of desert mountains???
When we saw the lake in the distance, we breathed a great sigh of relief. Our reservations requested that we arrive at 4:30 and it was nearly 4:00 before we saw any sign of water. The Snake River has been dammed in several different spots, the Canyon Lake being one of the results of a dam. We got our "boarding passes" and climbed aboard the Dolly Steamboat at 5:00. The 2 1/2 hour cruise included dinner and some beverages for $60 per person. We were pretty thirsty so were pleased at the serve-yourself lemonade and water containers immediately available. (There was also coffee and iced tea. Alcoholic beverages and soda were available for a fee.) The boat left the dock and slowly made its way toward what looked like the end of the lake. We began to wonder if we were just going to go in slow circles to make the trip last 2 1/2 hours. But as we neared what looked like the end of the lake, we saw the opening around the high canyon walls and continued along the river for over an hour. As it started getting dark, they turned on lights on the boat. They were the rope-style Christmas lights so they were subtle and romantic. They played pleasant music, at a comfortable volume to allow conversation, interspersed with a smooth-voiced tour guide explaining some of the sights along the way.
I guess this picture makes me look sad but I was definitely not sad. I was feeling very pleasantly relaxed, something I too rarely feel. They had a barbeque grill on the fantail and were soon cooking filet mignon and chicken breasts. Since it took some time to have everything prepared, we were glad for the availability of purchasing snacks and tried to stave off the hunger (made worse by the smell of barbeque) with a little package of cashews and a bag of chips. Each passenger got both meats, along with salad, baked potato, green beans (they were too spicy for me but Russ was able to eat them), roll, then apple pie for dessert, a nice meal.
The boat was sufficiently large to carry passengers enough to be profitable but small enough to be fairly intimate. We did wonder, after having driven some very twisty, narrow roads with several hairpin curves, how they ever got the boat out to this surprising body of water in the midst of desert mountains???
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Being courageous
There are two major "parts" of each of us which make up who we are. We have a body/clay tabernacle/biological collection of molecules which is ordered by chemicals/hormones and blood. That part of us feels temperature, exhaustion, rage, pain, fear, and euphoria to name just a few. We also have a spirit/soul/God-seed/conscience which is ordered by thought/intention/choice. Remember the old cartoons with the little devil on one shoulder and the little angel on the other, both whispering in some confused character's ear? The reason one is characterized as devil and the other angel is because we have opposing impulses, one basically good and the other basically bad. Our body, or natural man as it is referred to in the scriptures, responds to very self-centered motivations. If we are hungry we eat, sometimes too much simply because we crave the taste. If we are angry, we lash out with words or actions which may harm someone even to the point of being fatal because we don't control the anger. If we don't motivate our body, we can be very lazy and subject to inertia because our body would rather just rest and be "comfortable". The spirit part of us is not nearly as loud and insistent as the body, especially if we tend to ignore it. We have a conscience that pricks us a little when we are about to tell a lie or when we are grabbing for that second piece of cake. It doesn't shout or force us so it's pretty easy to just shut it out. That "still, small voice" (as it is called in the scriptures) is the part of us that we inherited from the God in whose image we were created. It is the part we can choose to develop in order to "be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven"..... or not. We can choose to remain immersed in the chaos of appetites, passions, and influences that totally overwhelm the whisperings of our potential to be like our Father or our Brother, Jesus.
Last night Russ and I watched an excellent movie, thanks to our daughter Angela's thoughtful birthday gift. As I have thought about the movie, I have imagined various people that I love watching the movie and reacting to it. The movie, entitled "Courageous", has to do with the purposeful decision on the part of a group of men to resolve to be involved fathers- not just hunters or gatherers, not just providers and disciplinarians. So often a man feels that being a father consists of not letting his children starve to death or go naked or get beaten; and being a "good" father means providing their kids with all the toys they want. I wondered about the influence the movie might have on those who would choose to go to watch it. The movie could make it "popular" for men to be involved in the lives of their children to the point of teaching them and encouraging them in many positive ways to be honest, hard-working, faithful, sincere men. That led me to think about what "popular" means. Unfortunately, most of the time, "popular" means appealing to that natural man part of us, because it's louder and more easily accessible, more tempting. Why would a man want to move out of his "comfort zone" by speaking to others, even his own children, about feelings, goodness, service to others? Don't men usually prefer to discuss sports, weather, politics,etc. in traditionally loud, boisterous fashion?
I fully support those who are trying to make righteousness "popular". I would so love to live in a society of people who don't have to be afraid because no-one would harm anyone else. I would so love to live in a society of people who are forgiving and caring toward one another. Unfortunately, I think it's unlikely that the world in general has the inner strength to control that natural man tendency to anger, greed, slothfulness, and lust. But I am ever grateful for others, like me, who want to go beyond a vague awareness of good, who want to go beyond even just an acknowledgement of the existence of Jesus Christ as a Savior and Mediator for all of mankind. I am grateful for those who seek to become like Him and encourage others to do the same.
Last night Russ and I watched an excellent movie, thanks to our daughter Angela's thoughtful birthday gift. As I have thought about the movie, I have imagined various people that I love watching the movie and reacting to it. The movie, entitled "Courageous", has to do with the purposeful decision on the part of a group of men to resolve to be involved fathers- not just hunters or gatherers, not just providers and disciplinarians. So often a man feels that being a father consists of not letting his children starve to death or go naked or get beaten; and being a "good" father means providing their kids with all the toys they want. I wondered about the influence the movie might have on those who would choose to go to watch it. The movie could make it "popular" for men to be involved in the lives of their children to the point of teaching them and encouraging them in many positive ways to be honest, hard-working, faithful, sincere men. That led me to think about what "popular" means. Unfortunately, most of the time, "popular" means appealing to that natural man part of us, because it's louder and more easily accessible, more tempting. Why would a man want to move out of his "comfort zone" by speaking to others, even his own children, about feelings, goodness, service to others? Don't men usually prefer to discuss sports, weather, politics,etc. in traditionally loud, boisterous fashion?
I fully support those who are trying to make righteousness "popular". I would so love to live in a society of people who don't have to be afraid because no-one would harm anyone else. I would so love to live in a society of people who are forgiving and caring toward one another. Unfortunately, I think it's unlikely that the world in general has the inner strength to control that natural man tendency to anger, greed, slothfulness, and lust. But I am ever grateful for others, like me, who want to go beyond a vague awareness of good, who want to go beyond even just an acknowledgement of the existence of Jesus Christ as a Savior and Mediator for all of mankind. I am grateful for those who seek to become like Him and encourage others to do the same.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Reverence or respect
Recently I heard about a comment from someone who had observed an LDS family's children as being "so well-behaved". Now, I would be the first to say that certainly not ALL LDS children could always be so categorized. However, I have pondered the behavior of Latter Day Saints, children and adult, in comparison to the the general population. There is something to be said for being taught reverence and obedience. I'm not talking about being brow-beaten into submission. There are very few Latter Day Saints that would not have the courage to speak up about anything they had opinion on. But as we learn about God and His expectations of us, and we learn about our potential as His children, we learn the importance of respect. We are humbled to know that there is much to understand that we don't yet understand. There are many who are more capable and knowledgeable than we are. At the same time, we know that God wants us to be like He is. If in all His wisdom and power, He tells us to be like He is, He must think us capable of doing just that. And as an extension of that awareness of our own potential, we realize that the person next to us has that same potential. We must give the same respect to him/her for their potential that we would expect to be given. Unfortunately, not everyone has yet fully embraced their own potential, much less that of the people around them. As a result, we have disrespect and all the bad stuff that follows- rudeness, abuse, prejudice, hate, etc.
I know it's a minor thing, but the simple act of being quiet and reverent when someone is praying is a big step toward respect. It doesn't matter if they are praying aloud or silently. It doesn't matter what religion they are, either. What matters is an awareness that they are making the effort to address Deity and we should not interrupt. We have become such a loud, self-centered society that we neglect to even be aware that we are interrupting. Instead of giving our full attention to anyone, we talk or text on our phones when we should be acknowledging the cashier in front of us or the child holding our hand or the friend walking with us. God is having to be more and more insistent just to get our attention- thunderings, lightnings, tempests, tsunamis, floods, famines, pestilence, earthquakes!! Maybe we should shut up and listen more. Maybe we should be sure our children understand that respect means to be aware of someone outside themselves and treat them the way they would wanted to be treated. Maybe that could go a long way to improve general world conditions. Maybe we could be more peaceful and happy. That would be nice.
I know it's a minor thing, but the simple act of being quiet and reverent when someone is praying is a big step toward respect. It doesn't matter if they are praying aloud or silently. It doesn't matter what religion they are, either. What matters is an awareness that they are making the effort to address Deity and we should not interrupt. We have become such a loud, self-centered society that we neglect to even be aware that we are interrupting. Instead of giving our full attention to anyone, we talk or text on our phones when we should be acknowledging the cashier in front of us or the child holding our hand or the friend walking with us. God is having to be more and more insistent just to get our attention- thunderings, lightnings, tempests, tsunamis, floods, famines, pestilence, earthquakes!! Maybe we should shut up and listen more. Maybe we should be sure our children understand that respect means to be aware of someone outside themselves and treat them the way they would wanted to be treated. Maybe that could go a long way to improve general world conditions. Maybe we could be more peaceful and happy. That would be nice.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)