53A
2002
Swinging ...
“Through story telling, I can show how ‘The Pill’ catalyzed a snowball effect, which steamrolled right over family values, causing society's stability to unground and barrel downhill.”
"How did taking the pill relate to the family's undoing?"
"Well, fifty years ago, we could not foresee the domino effect that followed in the aftermath of the discovery of The Pill. Our scope was so limited as to cause us to believe that with the discovery of The Pill women were spontaneously as liberated—sexually—as men.
2014
In hindsight, that train of thought proved as naive as the White House declaring the war with Iraq was over when, in truth, change for the better encounters countless hurtles, based in deeply imprinted patterns of thought, rooted in thousands of years of attitude, which take time to overcome. Do you know why the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years when The Holy Land proved to be only a stone's throw from Egypt, suggesting walking in circles for decades? Good question, right? Here's the answer I was given: Slave mentality could not have developed the leadership skills necessary to build a nation of many strengths. That fell to the next generation, suggesting, again, that our future lies in the hands of our children—bringing to mind: As we sow so shall we reap.
Those who built the Holy Land into the mighty nation where Solomon ruled, wisely, and David slew Goliath, bravely, proved to be the descendants of slaves, who, having left subservience behind, had nothing more than brotherhood, coupled with faith in wise leadership to offer their offspring. And thus did future generations face the necessity to call forth creative inventiveness to secure a self respecting life, which proved admirably sustainable in the new land.
This does not mean that once freed, the Israelites were never again enslaved by the dominance of brute force. It means that each time these people were beaten into submission,, their passion for education saw them rise from the ashes to value self empowerment, freedom of thought and mutual respect, repeatedly. Self-empowerment. Mutual respect is not to be confused with enslaving those less fortunate souls who look to leadership to provide security.
As we know the Israelites to be the ancestors of the Israelis, I wonder that so many throughout the world, today, believe the nation of Israel did not exist until after The Holocaust. Perhaps that points to the fact that our shortsightedness, concerning the past, proves no different from short sightedness, concerning the situation, which persists, today. Perhaps, upon delving more deeply into the history of today's Israelis, the world will understand the meaning of Never Again! more deeply than ever before.
Hopefully, one day, descendants of those who people Israel and Darfur, today, will have reason to gather with other well informed nations to create a new and improved United Nations, where all join hands while declaring Never Again! concerning genocide on a global scope. At least that's my far-sighted vision of change for the better, fueled by a well educated, positively focused hope.
A quick glancing into the history of human nature shows ancient tribes enslaving neighboring tribes—Attila—Vikings—Crusades—Japanese invasion of China—Spanish Inquisition—Dissection of Poland—Wars of Roses—English domination of Irish and Scots, colonization throughout the world—Napoleonic wars—wars for independence—world wars—Vietnam Nam—Korea—Cold wars, overheating—Desert Storm—internal revolts—the on-going, unending crises in the Middle East, the twin towers and terrorist cells, presently invading the world at large—genocide in Darfur while we sit in the dark, wearing 3D glasses at the multiplex, munching popcorn, watching super heroes do our life saving work for us when we need to see Newsreels of real-life heroes, sacrificing life and limb, day after day—makes me wonder when we'll see leadership assembling historical puzzle pieces in hopes of deepening a global sense of the necessity to participate actively in 'writing' The History of The World, Part 2—where justice will serve more than those few with the Midas touch. I believe that world leaders have not thoroughly absorbed insight into yesterday's mistakes by studying world history more deeply than ever before in hopes of educating today's masses to understand why working toward the betterment of society, as a whole, is the only way to resolve our differences in a manner that focuses upon solutions, based in securing a sense of peaceful, prosperous co-existence for all.
2014
In hindsight, that train of thought proved as naive as the White House declaring the war with Iraq was over when, in truth, change for the better encounters countless hurtles, based in deeply imprinted patterns of thought, rooted in thousands of years of attitude, which take time to overcome. Do you know why the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years when The Holy Land proved to be only a stone's throw from Egypt, suggesting walking in circles for decades? Good question, right? Here's the answer I was given: Slave mentality could not have developed the leadership skills necessary to build a nation of many strengths. That fell to the next generation, suggesting, again, that our future lies in the hands of our children—bringing to mind: As we sow so shall we reap.
Those who built the Holy Land into the mighty nation where Solomon ruled, wisely, and David slew Goliath, bravely, proved to be the descendants of slaves, who, having left subservience behind, had nothing more than brotherhood, coupled with faith in wise leadership to offer their offspring. And thus did future generations face the necessity to call forth creative inventiveness to secure a self respecting life, which proved admirably sustainable in the new land.
This does not mean that once freed, the Israelites were never again enslaved by the dominance of brute force. It means that each time these people were beaten into submission,, their passion for education saw them rise from the ashes to value self empowerment, freedom of thought and mutual respect, repeatedly. Self-empowerment. Mutual respect is not to be confused with enslaving those less fortunate souls who look to leadership to provide security.
As we know the Israelites to be the ancestors of the Israelis, I wonder that so many throughout the world, today, believe the nation of Israel did not exist until after The Holocaust. Perhaps that points to the fact that our shortsightedness, concerning the past, proves no different from short sightedness, concerning the situation, which persists, today. Perhaps, upon delving more deeply into the history of today's Israelis, the world will understand the meaning of Never Again! more deeply than ever before.
Hopefully, one day, descendants of those who people Israel and Darfur, today, will have reason to gather with other well informed nations to create a new and improved United Nations, where all join hands while declaring Never Again! concerning genocide on a global scope. At least that's my far-sighted vision of change for the better, fueled by a well educated, positively focused hope.
A quick glancing into the history of human nature shows ancient tribes enslaving neighboring tribes—Attila—Vikings—Crusades—Japanese invasion of China—Spanish Inquisition—Dissection of Poland—Wars of Roses—English domination of Irish and Scots, colonization throughout the world—Napoleonic wars—wars for independence—world wars—Vietnam Nam—Korea—Cold wars, overheating—Desert Storm—internal revolts—the on-going, unending crises in the Middle East, the twin towers and terrorist cells, presently invading the world at large—genocide in Darfur while we sit in the dark, wearing 3D glasses at the multiplex, munching popcorn, watching super heroes do our life saving work for us when we need to see Newsreels of real-life heroes, sacrificing life and limb, day after day—makes me wonder when we'll see leadership assembling historical puzzle pieces in hopes of deepening a global sense of the necessity to participate actively in 'writing' The History of The World, Part 2—where justice will serve more than those few with the Midas touch. I believe that world leaders have not thoroughly absorbed insight into yesterday's mistakes by studying world history more deeply than ever before in hopes of educating today's masses to understand why working toward the betterment of society, as a whole, is the only way to resolve our differences in a manner that focuses upon solutions, based in securing a sense of peaceful, prosperous co-existence for all.
Does that concept feel so far fetched as to cause us to escape into the dark where super heroes do our work of saving fantasy worlds, so we can deny the fact that we're imploding on a global scope? If leadership cannot comprehend the main root of world-wide confusion, today, then that reality is surely cause for all of us to shake in our boots, 24 hours, every day …
And—if leadership can't resolve conflicts within their families, how can we hope to solve conflict on a global scope?
And—if leadership can't resolve inner conflict in well balanced ways then …
Is it any wonder that with these trains of thoughts circling round inside my head in need of productive release, I'm drawn to write, each day, until my processor pulls out of a tunnel and into each next station, where my mind, guided by insight, unloads the weight of suppressed frustration along with excess baggage?
Upon pulling into each station, I refuel my locomotive, enjoy some heartfelt down time with those I love and get a good night's rest before awakening to greet a brand new day where positive focus, concerning the future well-being of mankind, guides me toward my computer, think tank chugging full steam ahead, yet again. Why? Because—for most of my life, I had hope but no voice with which to express my deepest thoughts—and now that I do—this is 'my thing'.
And—if leadership can't resolve conflicts within their families, how can we hope to solve conflict on a global scope?
And—if leadership can't resolve inner conflict in well balanced ways then …
Is it any wonder that with these trains of thoughts circling round inside my head in need of productive release, I'm drawn to write, each day, until my processor pulls out of a tunnel and into each next station, where my mind, guided by insight, unloads the weight of suppressed frustration along with excess baggage?
Upon pulling into each station, I refuel my locomotive, enjoy some heartfelt down time with those I love and get a good night's rest before awakening to greet a brand new day where positive focus, concerning the future well-being of mankind, guides me toward my computer, think tank chugging full steam ahead, yet again. Why? Because—for most of my life, I had hope but no voice with which to express my deepest thoughts—and now that I do—this is 'my thing'.
Is it possible that while denial closes our eyes to how often world history cycles round (like the Israelites wandering in circles for forty years after Moses, our first super hero, waved his magic wand—uh, make that staff—parting the Red Sea while guiding our path toward freedom before our fearless leader had reason to climb up and swoop down from on high with two of three tablets in hand, thus empowering his bretheren to make our way into The Promised Land, at last) we'll turn on the lights in the movie theater only to find that while grumbling about world wide disillusionment—which greed has foisted upon mankind, again—WW III may have already begun???
Have you looked at the headlines, lately? Revolts taking aim at aggression everywhere we look! Scary, right? Hopefully, we'll awaken Nick before missiles turn into catastrophic bombs dropping as unimaginably as has happened—before—with this caveat: This time round, we may find ourselves the recipients of devastation. Perhaps a cosmic reason exists for the fact that Manhattan is airing on TV, right now. Thoughts of the A-bomb gives me chills. Where's Nick? In a phone booth, I hope, straightening his cape, readying himself to save the day …. Why Nick? Super heroes prove necessary until a candidate, who, as yet, remains unnamed, inspires my confidence while my ears block out smear campaigns, which waste so much time, energy and money—all of which could put to better use—ohhh, just thinking about politics makes my blood pressure rise—Ohmmmm …
Have you looked at the headlines, lately? Revolts taking aim at aggression everywhere we look! Scary, right? Hopefully, we'll awaken Nick before missiles turn into catastrophic bombs dropping as unimaginably as has happened—before—with this caveat: This time round, we may find ourselves the recipients of devastation. Perhaps a cosmic reason exists for the fact that Manhattan is airing on TV, right now. Thoughts of the A-bomb gives me chills. Where's Nick? In a phone booth, I hope, straightening his cape, readying himself to save the day …. Why Nick? Super heroes prove necessary until a candidate, who, as yet, remains unnamed, inspires my confidence while my ears block out smear campaigns, which waste so much time, energy and money—all of which could put to better use—ohhh, just thinking about politics makes my blood pressure rise—Ohmmmm …
2002
Each time an amazing discovery catalyzes dramatic changes in society's thinking patterns, the naive side of human nature believes that we've got the brass ring within our grasp, and there it will remain, forever. All too often we forget that mindsets, transitioning through stages of change, offer up a mixed bag of tricks and treats.
Once young women got hold of the pill, values got such a shaking as to cause traditional mindsets to swirl as dizzily as a merry-go-round, spinning out of control—no brakes in sight. Suddenly, young women, feeling as free as young men, set their values aside in favor of frolicking with lust as naked as the breeze. Soon after that change, divorce pushed family life through revolving doors, and finally, teens, mimicking their elders, began to beget so many children that the availability of birth control was coveted above high school degrees. And now, decades later, this question continues to rage on in our homes: To educate youth about birth control or not? Seriously? Just as with politics‚ real life is not a tea party.
= When societal values swing from one extreme to the other, overnight, mindsets swing, like pendulums on metronomes, from one end of the spectrum to another. If values swing to extremes, overlong, the well-balanced state of a society's stability is bound to crack in half before common ground is founded in common sense. (Think back to biblical times, when newly freed slaves, minds running wild, worshipped a golden calf, while the mind of their leader climbed ever upward, reaching skyward toward a moral code. Why only Ten Commandments when we're clearly in need of more? Didn't you see History Of The World, Part 1? And anyway—why have more when we continue to ignore the first ten?)
As mindsets swing from one end of the spectrum to the other, unexpected change proves hard to accept on both sides—until a new and improved sense of balance begins to shape up as each unforeseen stage of change moves forward through an entire cycle, where an equalized sense of stability develops, over time. BTW, I'm sure you know that women are not the only ones working, steadily, decade by decade, to break through glass ceilings. Right?
Glass ceilings exist wherever those who have risen to the top look down, disdainfully, at whomsoever is working determinedly to climb each rung of the ladder of success, next. Whom amongst us doth not seek the golden egg? Money doth not disappear. It just changes hands. How much of the U.S. has sold out to China? How much of our nation do Eastern powers own? I'd feared that our national government would own our souls by becoming Big Brother, when in truth, Big Business, having usurped that role, owns our elected officials' souls. As far as mom and pop shops? Some things change for the better, some things just go by a different name: We still owe our souls to the company store.
Each time an amazing discovery catalyzes dramatic changes in society's thinking patterns, the naive side of human nature believes that we've got the brass ring within our grasp, and there it will remain, forever. All too often we forget that mindsets, transitioning through stages of change, offer up a mixed bag of tricks and treats.
Once young women got hold of the pill, values got such a shaking as to cause traditional mindsets to swirl as dizzily as a merry-go-round, spinning out of control—no brakes in sight. Suddenly, young women, feeling as free as young men, set their values aside in favor of frolicking with lust as naked as the breeze. Soon after that change, divorce pushed family life through revolving doors, and finally, teens, mimicking their elders, began to beget so many children that the availability of birth control was coveted above high school degrees. And now, decades later, this question continues to rage on in our homes: To educate youth about birth control or not? Seriously? Just as with politics‚ real life is not a tea party.
= When societal values swing from one extreme to the other, overnight, mindsets swing, like pendulums on metronomes, from one end of the spectrum to another. If values swing to extremes, overlong, the well-balanced state of a society's stability is bound to crack in half before common ground is founded in common sense. (Think back to biblical times, when newly freed slaves, minds running wild, worshipped a golden calf, while the mind of their leader climbed ever upward, reaching skyward toward a moral code. Why only Ten Commandments when we're clearly in need of more? Didn't you see History Of The World, Part 1? And anyway—why have more when we continue to ignore the first ten?)
As mindsets swing from one end of the spectrum to the other, unexpected change proves hard to accept on both sides—until a new and improved sense of balance begins to shape up as each unforeseen stage of change moves forward through an entire cycle, where an equalized sense of stability develops, over time. BTW, I'm sure you know that women are not the only ones working, steadily, decade by decade, to break through glass ceilings. Right?
Glass ceilings exist wherever those who have risen to the top look down, disdainfully, at whomsoever is working determinedly to climb each rung of the ladder of success, next. Whom amongst us doth not seek the golden egg? Money doth not disappear. It just changes hands. How much of the U.S. has sold out to China? How much of our nation do Eastern powers own? I'd feared that our national government would own our souls by becoming Big Brother, when in truth, Big Business, having usurped that role, owns our elected officials' souls. As far as mom and pop shops? Some things change for the better, some things just go by a different name: We still owe our souls to the company store.
During the Sixties, The Pill catalyzed an attitude of free love, which made such a shamble of responsible family values that common sense fell through the cracks in the foundation, which had stabilized Western society for thousands of years: The man had been the head of the house, the brains and brawn of the operation, the warrior hunter, who'd ruled with club in fist—the little woman, the bearer of children, the nurturer, the warmth of heart, hearth and home, the partner who kept the 'gonsa' machine humming in well oiled fashion. In fact, I heard that the first human conversation went something like this: Me Adam, you Eve. Me hungry. Followed by: Yes Dear. The club was put down. Fire invented. Then the wheel. And life rolled forward—except for one thing—Eve got hungry, bit into the apple and everything changed. Interesting, isn't it how apples come up in stories? I mean think of Snow White, who bit into a different variety of apple, which caused this sweet maiden to fall into a deep sleep until awakened by true love's first kiss, at which time, the damsel in distress arose to hear the prince say 'King me' and Snow, feeling ever so grateful, said, Yes Dear—and life rolled forward just like that until—The Pill caused such a ruckus that Jack and Jill's marriage barreled downhill. As to the serpent, who slides in and out of our minds ... Well, please take note that that character be not a he or she, if you ask me, but rather the dark side of human nature, which exists within us, one and all.
I know, I know—Woman's suffrage championed women's rights way before the sixties, so winning the vote must be lauded as a leap in the right direction, concerning women rising up another rung while reaching toward the glass ceiling in a (mostly) peaceable fashion, demanding to be considered man's equal in all of life's endeavors. My point in differentiating the woman's suffrage movement from the sexual liberation of the fair sex is this: Winning the vote demanded decades of work, brain power, patience, trial and error and time. Creating The Pill took brain power, patience, trial and error and time; however, taking The Pill created an overnight sensation, resulting in a shambles of family life as affairs, leading toward divorce, became all the 'rage'. I am woman, hear me roar! With divorce, an army of distraught women filed into the work place, The War Between The Sexes was declared, and the little woman was no more.
As family values cracked open like Humpty Dumpty, falling off a wall, all the King's horses could not stop the tug of war between the sexes, which had long been shoved under the rug. While traditional values of family solidarity pulled in one direction, 'free love' ran wild in the streets, and rather than remaining married while indulging in clandestine affairs, as had been the norm for thousands of years, marriages, which seemed solid on the surface, shattered, shocking the pants and panties off of everyone, who had run wild without considering—far reaching consequences—most especially for confounded, little kids.
No, I am most certainly not condoning the secret affairs of yesteryear. Just pointing out how one unforeseeable change leads to many more. And who suffers most? Children, who lose their innocence and sense of security much too early in life.
As newly divorced homemakers were forced into the workplace in droves, confusion, fear and fury roared to be heard. Resultant of unresolved anger, vindictive attitudes flooded home after home. Children, torn between warring parents, ran for emotional cover, until they learned to repress or mimic the rebellious attitudes displayed by mothers and fathers, and thus have we watched a commitment phobic generation grow up, creating the directionless direction of young leadership, today.
I know, I know—Woman's suffrage championed women's rights way before the sixties, so winning the vote must be lauded as a leap in the right direction, concerning women rising up another rung while reaching toward the glass ceiling in a (mostly) peaceable fashion, demanding to be considered man's equal in all of life's endeavors. My point in differentiating the woman's suffrage movement from the sexual liberation of the fair sex is this: Winning the vote demanded decades of work, brain power, patience, trial and error and time. Creating The Pill took brain power, patience, trial and error and time; however, taking The Pill created an overnight sensation, resulting in a shambles of family life as affairs, leading toward divorce, became all the 'rage'. I am woman, hear me roar! With divorce, an army of distraught women filed into the work place, The War Between The Sexes was declared, and the little woman was no more.
As family values cracked open like Humpty Dumpty, falling off a wall, all the King's horses could not stop the tug of war between the sexes, which had long been shoved under the rug. While traditional values of family solidarity pulled in one direction, 'free love' ran wild in the streets, and rather than remaining married while indulging in clandestine affairs, as had been the norm for thousands of years, marriages, which seemed solid on the surface, shattered, shocking the pants and panties off of everyone, who had run wild without considering—far reaching consequences—most especially for confounded, little kids.
No, I am most certainly not condoning the secret affairs of yesteryear. Just pointing out how one unforeseeable change leads to many more. And who suffers most? Children, who lose their innocence and sense of security much too early in life.
As newly divorced homemakers were forced into the workplace in droves, confusion, fear and fury roared to be heard. Resultant of unresolved anger, vindictive attitudes flooded home after home. Children, torn between warring parents, ran for emotional cover, until they learned to repress or mimic the rebellious attitudes displayed by mothers and fathers, and thus have we watched a commitment phobic generation grow up, creating the directionless direction of young leadership, today.
Once a new mindset runs wild, while a traditional mindset remains planted, solidly, in values, which are shaking furiously in their boots, a chasm opens, causing opposing mindsets to—divorce. More than once. (Learn about yourself and your history or repeat your mistakes and perhaps your parents' mistakes as well.)
As more and more families tore apart, traditional values were buried neath an avalanche of negatively focused change, which got off to a running start during the sixties, dividing mindsets into warring camps, resulting in the development of emotional, financial, and political chaos, which we've not yet figured out how to stabilize, today. (Makes me wonder if congress can't get their act together, because the values of the haves and have nots are engaged in an undeclared war?)
Is The Pill responsible for spoilage of society's value system? Not all of it, of course. But the same gluttonous adulterous behavior that proved rotten in Denmark, when the Bard gave us Hamlet, is in need of attention, today. I mean, wisdom, which proves classic in terms of history repeating itself, never gets old.
As insight into problem solving continues to speak to me, intuition, which propels me to sit down to pen complex thoughts as lucidly as possible, day after day, suggests it's way past time to put our heads together and seriously consider gathering all of the puzzle pieces, which have accumulated over these past fifty years, in order to assemble the bigger picture of a world in transition, socially, financially politically … morally, because, you see, I believe everything that poured into today's post is interconnected. How'bout you?
Who is at fault in 'no fault' divorce? Not who. But what: Human nature.
How many lovers who marry believe they'll divorce? Why are first marriages now called 'Beginner Marriages'? Because more than 50% of us divorce. Close to 60% of second marriages do the same. Family is synonymous with revolving door.
How many lovers who marry believe they'll divorce? Why are first marriages now called 'Beginner Marriages'? Because more than 50% of us divorce. Close to 60% of second marriages do the same. Family is synonymous with revolving door.
As more and more families tore apart, traditional values were buried neath an avalanche of negatively focused change, which got off to a running start during the sixties, dividing mindsets into warring camps, resulting in the development of emotional, financial, and political chaos, which we've not yet figured out how to stabilize, today. (Makes me wonder if congress can't get their act together, because the values of the haves and have nots are engaged in an undeclared war?)
Is The Pill responsible for spoilage of society's value system? Not all of it, of course. But the same gluttonous adulterous behavior that proved rotten in Denmark, when the Bard gave us Hamlet, is in need of attention, today. I mean, wisdom, which proves classic in terms of history repeating itself, never gets old.
As insight into problem solving continues to speak to me, intuition, which propels me to sit down to pen complex thoughts as lucidly as possible, day after day, suggests it's way past time to put our heads together and seriously consider gathering all of the puzzle pieces, which have accumulated over these past fifty years, in order to assemble the bigger picture of a world in transition, socially, financially politically … morally, because, you see, I believe everything that poured into today's post is interconnected. How'bout you?
As a chaotic chasm has flooded minds with confusion/fear/fury, for half a century, we still seem blind to and thus stymied by the ways in which dramatic-change-in-transition propels society, as a whole, toward a future in which the unexpected and thus, unforeseen, becomes the norm. With attention to hindsight we can see that once confusion settles down, the center of the bell shaped curve, which stabilizes any group, establishes a middle ground, which allows society, as a whole, to dig into the past in hopes of clarifying that which is really causing the turbulence of the little that we can see on the surface, today.
Wonder what's gotten into children, today? Let's open our eyes to adults, flinging disrespect all around town while sex runs as wildly through our streets as on TV, on magazine cover shots, at the multiplex in widescreen 3D … pretty much every place our wide-eyed children, with big ears, look—mimicking adult misbehavior. As Barbra sings, loud and clear: Children are listening …
Adults who wonder why kids run wild need to take a good long look in the mirror while answering this question: Have you been an active part of the problem or are you role modeling positively focused attitudes, resulting in thought provoking solutions, based in values practiced rather than preached?
Where on the bell shaped curve do you stand? Are you lagging behind in the past with those who peopled The Me Generation, or do you stand with open minded young minds, intent on pulling the curve toward a future, where creating change for the better for today's children, at home and throughout the world, depends upon re-balancing each role model's life, beginning, right now?
See why I believe positive change needs to start with a grassroots movement, concerning the widespread development of mutual respect, in home after home? This is not Pollyanna talking; this is the voice of sages through the ages, whispering unwaveringly, patiently, hopefully into your ears and mine—imagine Socrates, Plato, Shakespeare, Dickens, Jane Austen, The Bronte sisters, Ellen Gilchrist, Ellen Glasgow, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Pearl S. Buck, Alice Walker and Henry James along with financial masterminds leading the nations of today's world—well, maybe not Plato. He thought women were inferior to men … Sigh … enough of that already!
Wisdom, which proves classic in terms of history repeating itself, never gets old. (BTW did you know that the Bronte sisters novels were published under pen names, suggesting to publishers that they were—men? I read a book recently and loved the title: Anonymous Was A Woman)
In the aftermath of The Pill, divorce grew so commonplace that a temporary sense of family established its place in the center of the bell shaped curve, which strained this way and that while society moved forward on the historical time line at a snail's pace. Retrospectively, it's important to note that at those times when widespread change causes traditional values to transition through widespread pain, the future, which moves all of us forward, feels unsafe, rocky, for this reason: Time stops for no one, no matter how scary emotional and financial instability proves to be. When adults experience tension, anger and fear, children do, too.
Wonder what's gotten into children, today? Let's open our eyes to adults, flinging disrespect all around town while sex runs as wildly through our streets as on TV, on magazine cover shots, at the multiplex in widescreen 3D … pretty much every place our wide-eyed children, with big ears, look—mimicking adult misbehavior. As Barbra sings, loud and clear: Children are listening …
Adults who wonder why kids run wild need to take a good long look in the mirror while answering this question: Have you been an active part of the problem or are you role modeling positively focused attitudes, resulting in thought provoking solutions, based in values practiced rather than preached?
Where on the bell shaped curve do you stand? Are you lagging behind in the past with those who peopled The Me Generation, or do you stand with open minded young minds, intent on pulling the curve toward a future, where creating change for the better for today's children, at home and throughout the world, depends upon re-balancing each role model's life, beginning, right now?
See why I believe positive change needs to start with a grassroots movement, concerning the widespread development of mutual respect, in home after home? This is not Pollyanna talking; this is the voice of sages through the ages, whispering unwaveringly, patiently, hopefully into your ears and mine—imagine Socrates, Plato, Shakespeare, Dickens, Jane Austen, The Bronte sisters, Ellen Gilchrist, Ellen Glasgow, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Pearl S. Buck, Alice Walker and Henry James along with financial masterminds leading the nations of today's world—well, maybe not Plato. He thought women were inferior to men … Sigh … enough of that already!
Wisdom, which proves classic in terms of history repeating itself, never gets old. (BTW did you know that the Bronte sisters novels were published under pen names, suggesting to publishers that they were—men? I read a book recently and loved the title: Anonymous Was A Woman)
In the aftermath of The Pill, divorce grew so commonplace that a temporary sense of family established its place in the center of the bell shaped curve, which strained this way and that while society moved forward on the historical time line at a snail's pace. Retrospectively, it's important to note that at those times when widespread change causes traditional values to transition through widespread pain, the future, which moves all of us forward, feels unsafe, rocky, for this reason: Time stops for no one, no matter how scary emotional and financial instability proves to be. When adults experience tension, anger and fear, children do, too.
If adult stability depends upon a mutually supportive value system, a child's sense of security depends upon their role models' solution seeking skills. If emotional and financial stability proves scarce at home then common sense suggests that we've ignored a value system, based in balance in all things, for far too long. Whom amongst the founding fathers thought democracy would lead to monopoly? That capitalism would create anarchy? It's high time we all spend time with—Nick.
If, over these past forty years we're still blindly partaking in rebellion against Victorian values, and if history is cyclical in nature then which stage of our development might Western society be cycling toward? Is the healthy time of life limited to our uphill climb? At my stage of life, It's not healthy to believe that to be true. Has Western culture peaked, suggesting that the fall of Rome is hitting home … in home after home, as I write and you read? I mean if change is the only constant in life that means we won't remain stuck in the same place for long. Whether we're on our way up or down remains a matter of choice—'capiche'?
2014
Aha! Some brilliant mind in Hollywood needs to write a script, showcasing a superhero named Captain Nickintyme, whose superpower has the ability to shoot a solution seeking chip into every brain that's about to take a flying leap into the future. This chip will open eyes and ears to reality, offering each of us a global scope, concerning the importance of considering turning points away from denial before breaking points knock us out of the game of thrones. Another chip will connect brain to heartfelt compassion in order that we not give lip service to brotherhood while wagging forked tongue, which stabs brethren in the back.
Nick's storyline would allow us to time travel back and forth, allowing us to re-consider what may result when tender, young shoots are uprooted and replanted in an emotional wasteland, where one hot winded sand storm after another swirls up with such a howl as to cause everyone to shut their eyes and ears tight. In the absence of emotional nourishment, which establishes each child's sense of security, how might today's generation of latch key, day cared, three days here, four days there, bewildered youngsters fare? The lead-in-line to this movie would be: Dare we look reality in the face before it's too late?
Whew! Guess today's post suggests that if everything's connected, stream of consciousness can start with: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth and just go on, forever, after that …
If today's post is cause for frowns, do not despair—experience has taught me tis better to confront reality than to hide in denial until it's too late to embrace an active role in the kind of brainstorming that creates change for the better in your home and mine—we already have all we need to achieve a step by step approach to success: minds connected to heartfelt voices, eyes and ears. Once we make good use of these ingredients to whip up change for the better, all that's left is to open the door to welcome the concept of all-for-one-and-one-for-all into our hearts, home by home …
Please make no mistake. When I mentioned latch key children, no way was I bashing over-worked men and women. In fact, my hat is off to every well-meaning adult, working overtime to feed their kids and make ends meet. I watched my dad and Will's Mom do that very thing, so Will and I could grow up to realize our dreams. The point I'm making is this: The time is ripe for change, and whether we like it or not, change is afoot, so doesn't it make sense to follow in the footsteps of another sage, thus listening attentively each time the spirit of Gandhi's swoops down from on high to perch on one shoulder, while Socrates' wings hover above the other, as both take turns whispering words of wisdom, which prove classic, universal, timeless, into your ear and mine:
'Know thyself'
'Be the change we hope for the world' …
Whew! Guess today's post suggests that if everything's connected, stream of consciousness can start with: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth and just go on, forever, after that …
If today's post is cause for frowns, do not despair—experience has taught me tis better to confront reality than to hide in denial until it's too late to embrace an active role in the kind of brainstorming that creates change for the better in your home and mine—we already have all we need to achieve a step by step approach to success: minds connected to heartfelt voices, eyes and ears. Once we make good use of these ingredients to whip up change for the better, all that's left is to open the door to welcome the concept of all-for-one-and-one-for-all into our hearts, home by home …
Please make no mistake. When I mentioned latch key children, no way was I bashing over-worked men and women. In fact, my hat is off to every well-meaning adult, working overtime to feed their kids and make ends meet. I watched my dad and Will's Mom do that very thing, so Will and I could grow up to realize our dreams. The point I'm making is this: The time is ripe for change, and whether we like it or not, change is afoot, so doesn't it make sense to follow in the footsteps of another sage, thus listening attentively each time the spirit of Gandhi's swoops down from on high to perch on one shoulder, while Socrates' wings hover above the other, as both take turns whispering words of wisdom, which prove classic, universal, timeless, into your ear and mine:
'Know thyself'
'Be the change we hope for the world' …
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